Pieces of Time
by JeskaWood
Summary: Sequel to the story Blind. Edward and Bella's lives have drastically changed over the past year. School, love, sight. Everything moves so fast and together they struggle to hold on to these precious little pieces of time they have created for themselves. Originally posted under Jayeliwood. Rated M for mature content. HEA. Completed.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! So, here it is, the sequel to my story Blind. It does need to be read to understand what's happening, just to let you know. This story was also originally posted under Jayeliwood a decade ago in 2009.**

 **The story has been edited for grammar and flow but none of the major plot points have been changed.**

 **As always, tis not perfect. If you see a mistake please let me know nicely, precisely, or not at all. I am only human and am doing this on my own. Your kindness is appreciated in advance.**

 **Also, Thank you to everyone who read Blind and decided to read this as well. I hope you continue to enjoy my work.**

 **Anyway, onward to fluffy romance!**

 **Prologue-**

 _ **Edward**_

So, if you told me two years before that I would be a married man who could see and was a father I would have told you that you needed heavy medication. My life had been a rollercoaster since the day I met my Isabella. She's changed my life in so many good ways. I don't even know how to describe all that she had done. She has been my lover, my best friend, my wife, my teacher, and so many other things. She was my everything.

So, even as she sat there, red-faced and exhausted, she was _beautiful_. I couldn't imagine my life without her. She told me once that she wouldn't be my reason or my excuse. I couldn't be more grateful for that.

"Hi there, lovely little one," I cooed at the tiny bundle in my arms. Bella's brown hair and my green eyes peeked out at me. Full beautiful lips and chubby little cheeks, too. I saw the best of both of us in the swaddling cloth. Our baby. Our beautiful healthy baby.

The child stretched, it's tiny nose scrunching as it yawned. Our tiny little gift. I had never seen anything cuter in my life. I sat beside my wife on the hospital bed and laid my head on her shoulder.

"Hi there, Daddy," Bella said sleepily. She had worked so hard, she must have been so tired. I was tired and I didn't do nearly as much work as her. I don't think she had ever worked harder in her life.

"Hey, Mommy. How are we feeling?" I asked, bouncing the tiny bundle in my arms. My voice was barely above a whisper.

"Sore," she admitted.

I turned to look at her fully. I carefully shifted and smoothed a piece of hair behind her ear. She smiled up at me, her beautiful brown eyes sparkling with unshed tears. I tried to smile reassuringly before leaning over to kiss her forehead.

The door cracked open slightly and I saw my father's head pop in. "May we come in?"

"Of course you can, Grandpa," Bella teased weakly with a smile. I could already tell that we weren't going to have visitors for very long.

I watched as our parents filed in. Renee who usually had a hard expression was beaming. She tugged Charlie and Phil behind her like she was an eager child. She came over to me, smiling a bit sheepishly when she caught my eye.

"May I?" She asked, her hands outstretched as she asked for the bundle I was protectively holding.

I didn't answer as I carefully slid the baby into her arms. She cooed and bounced the child happily. As soon as Renee was out of the way, my mother hugged me tightly.

"I told you that you two would make pretty babies," she teased, her voice watery. I could see the pride in her every feature.

 _ **Bella**_

Even though my stitches pulled and my whole body ached I couldn't have been happier. Watching Edward with our child was so... _incredible_. His eyes glittered with joy, his smile so gentle and warm as he walked around slowly with the tiny creature in his arms. _A little small, but otherwise perfect,_ the doctor said.

It was so nice to be around my family and I was so glad that they were already down there. I don't know how Edward could have handled all the stress of my labor along with the anxiety-inducing chore of calling our families and explaining what happened to them as well. But, everything and everyone was fine and that's all that mattered.

I yawned quietly as I watched my mother with her new grandchild. I think if anything could melt her icy heart it would be my child. Mine and Edward's baby. Renee was even smiling at Edward and was polite to him on purpose. They were tiny steps but steps none the less.

"Okay grandparents, it's time to let Mommy get to bed. It's been an extremely long day," Edward said quietly as he took the tiny sleeping babe and placed the bundle in one of those plastic bassinets.

Charlie came over first and gave me a small kiss on the top of my head.

"You did real good, kid."

"Thanks," I muttered with a small smile. I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open.

"Get some sleep and we'll be back in the morning, dear," Esme said with a gentle hug that I weakly returned. Every part of my body was sore.

"Call us if you need anything, you understand me?" Carlisle said firmly before giving me a crooked grin that could rival his son's. They were both so handsome. I could so their perfect features already on our child's sweet little face.

"Yes sir, Dr. Cullen," I teased happily.

When they finally all left, after too many hugs and kisses, Edward settled back into bed beside me. It's exactly where I wanted him. I laid my head on his chest, trying to get at least a little comfortable.

"Can you believe the day we had?" I asked a bit wryly.

"Can you believe the last two years we've had?" He chuckled and kissed my neck lightly. I couldn't imagine how he wanted to. I was sticky with my own old sweat. Edward didn't seem to care.

"No. It's flown by," I said as I ran my finger over his wedding band. "By the way, I'm never letting you have sex with me again," I teased lightly.

"Oh really?" He raised his eyebrow and gave me a little naughty grin. "You say that now..."

"Okay, maybe not ever again but I don't see you getting any in the near future," I laughed, laying my head against the pillow. "As cute as they are, birthing babies is an _amazing_ form of birth control. Not that we'll have time anyway."

"Hm, I have a strong feeling that I'm still going to find time to show you how much I love and worship you every inch of you." He took my hand and carefully turned my palm up. Edward kissed it lightly, nuzzling it gently, sending a wave of happiness through my already overloaded system.

The tears began to flow heavily down my cheeks, surprising even me. They came out of nowhere.

"I'm a mommy," I cried, covering my mouth.

Edward laughed which annoyed me until I realized that he was crying too. He took my face in his large warm hands and kissed my lips passionately, our tears mixing together on our cheeks.

"I hope you didn't just now realize that. You're the most beautiful mommy I've ever seen, by the way."

"You're only a little biased," I sighed, my whole being filled with joy and light.

"I'm not biased at all. I just happen to cherish natural beauty when I see it. And right now, I'm absolutely surrounded by it."

 **So, it has begun! Who's looking forward to the rest of the story?!**

 **This is the only time I will answer plot questions. Yes, you're going to find out everything from the very beginning. And, Yes, it's HEA. So, be nice and trust me? Yeah? It'll be good.**

 **If you enjoyed please fave and alert for more and you can follow me on facebook- Jeska Elizabeth or on Twitter- Kinda_randompic! Come say hi!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**May 22nd-**

 _ **Edward Cullen**_

For the first time in twenty-four hours, Bella and I were completely alone. Ever since they figured out my surgery was at least partially successful my friends and family felt the need to reintroduce themselves to me. My friends left that night around one in the morning and my parents fell asleep in the uncomfortable chairs. They didn't want to leave my sight. They finally left to get some real rest in beds sometime in the morning.

My beautiful Bella slid into bed with me with something in her hands.

"Want to get started?" She smiled at me. Her smile was my favorite thing that I had seen so far.

"Started with what?" I asked, slowly taking the thing in her hands. I realized it was a magazine. One of the wedding ones that Alice had gotten her already, in fact.

"Well, colors and basic objects. That sort of thing. I don't know where else to start," she shrugged her delicate shoulders and slid closer to me. I wrapped one of my arms around her and covered her with part of my blanket. "Is that alright?"

"That's fine with me," I said as I adjusted my new glasses. They were different from my shades, metal with a thicker lens. They were slightly squared and very lightweight. They were apparently semi-rimless and the frames were silver, so I was told. I let Bella pick them out for me. The tiny pieces of plastic and metal all looked the same to me. She had impressed Alice by picking them out from some designer called _Ferragamo_. I had heard the name but it didn't really mean much to me.

Bella flipped open the paper and began to point things out to me. Some of them I was starting to recognize but the colors were still kind of a mystery to me. I felt stupid for not being able to tell the difference.

"This is so strange," I muttered under my breath after about five minutes. I was always so easily frustrated.

"Is it not what you expected?" She asked lightly.

"I didn't know what to expect. I still don't," I sighed heavily and laid my head back against the bed. "There is so much stuff to take in. How do you deal with it? I am so overwhelmed."

"I've just had more practice, that's all. You'll get used to it," Bella said with a small smile and gave me a tiny kiss on the lips. At least I knew the color of those. _Pink, almost red._

"Well, I know there is one thing that I'll never get used to," I told her quietly, running my fingers over her cheeks.

"What's that?" She asked, her confusion coloring her tone.

"Looking at you. You are... _stunning_." I smiled as I carefully leaned in to kiss her. I was still getting used to the depth _thing_. It was easier to do when I closed my eyes but my doctor told me to try to keep them open to do things. I needed to get used to it. I had mushed Bella's nose more than once trying to kiss her in the past few hours, but she took it all in stride. It was easier with the glasses.

"You're only a _little_ biased. How many females have you seen so far, hm?" She teased sweetly. "Five?"

"I don't need to see anyone else to know the truth. You are the most beautiful woman in the world. You're going to be the most beautiful wife in the world." I smiled. I slowly took the magazine out of her hands and put it to the side.

"I thought you wanted to start studying..." Bella whined a little bit. I was almost positive she was teasing me again. I thought so by the sound of her voice but combined with her facial expression it was harder to tell.

"I do. In a little bit. But, I want to talk to you about something first. Since we're finally alone." I turned to her. I was having so much fun studying her body language and her expressions. I could have watched her all day, every day.

"What do you want to talk about?" She said sweetly, her fingers roaming through my hair soothingly.

"Our wedding..."

"And what about our wedding?" She asked in a soft tone. Bella turned to face me a little bit, her hand moving to my lap.

"Well, the date to be exact…" I trailed off nervously. "I want to get married sooner rather than later."

"What do you mean?" Her head tilted to the side as she asked. I wondered why.

"I don't want to wait. I don't want to wait a year to marry you, Bella. I don't want to wait until we're out of school again for our next summer break. Alice and Jasper are getting married winter break already. I don't want a huge wedding. Do you?"

"No, you know I don't..." she trailed off quietly.

I shifted so I was facing her completely. I carefully took her face into my hands. "My entire family is down here now and will be for a while. We can get your family down here, too! I don't want to wait until we graduate. I don't even want to wait for tomorrow, honestly. I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of my life as your husband."

"Edward, don't you think that's a bit soon?" Her eyes moved downward. I lifted her chin so she could look into mine. I needed to see them. Her beautiful brown eyes.

"Bella, I would wait for you for the rest of my life. If you want to wait, we'll wait," I said a little disappointed. I couldn't help it.

"Edward, I want to get married. I just... I have to think about it," she sighed heavily and laid against my chest as Bella hugged me. "Don't take it as a _no_. Just as a _not sure yet_ , okay?"

I nodded my head and kissed the top of hers lightly. "If you're going to weigh your options may I add something to go the pro list?"

"What's that?"

"We can go on our honeymoon sooner."

 _ **Bella Swan**_

I couldn't help but laugh at his comment. He was right. That was certainly something that would be put down as a positive. There were other positives, of course, and some negatives too. I was glad Edward didn't demand an answer right away because it would have been _no_. I didn't want to hurt his feelings.

The positives were if we did it right away I could pretty much ensure a small wedding. The longer the engagement the longer the women in my life had to plan. Honeymoon being sooner, of course, was a good thing. I wanted to be with Edward the rest of my life anyway, so time didn't really matter.

The negatives didn't weigh on me as much I thought they would but they were still there. Telling my parents was a problem. My father would be okay with it, he had probably seen it coming but Renee was another issue entirely. Though she was nicer to Edward it didn't mean that she liked him _at all_. Everyone would naturally assume I was pregnant, which I wasn't. People also tended to look down on people who get married so young nowadays.

I stopped my thoughts right there. I realized most of the negatives were based on other people's thoughts and feelings. I closed my eyes and pressed my nose into Edward's chest. I breathed in deeply, taking in his sweet smell. I hadn't slept well the past couple of nights and it was started to affect me. I was ready to be back home and in our own bed. I would think about it afterward some decent sleep.

As if the doctor was reading my thoughts he came in with a handful of paperwork.

"Alright, Mr. Cullen, are you ready to go home?" He asked brightly.

"More than you'll ever know," Edward muttered under his breath.

"We have a list of things you should and shouldn't do. We also have some prescriptions for you to fill before you head home." He pulled something from his pocket. "We have some glasses that you need to wear when you're outside at all times. If you have any questions or experience any severe or abnormal pain, please call my office right away. I've already set you up an appointment next week as a checkup. It's on a card here." He handed the papers to me. "All we need to do now is finish up your discharge papers and you can head home."

It didn't take long for the paperwork to be filled out. Edward changed into some clothes his parents had brought him the day before, just some simple jeans and a tee shirt. I gathered his stuff quickly into a bag and called his mom while he got ready.

" _Mm_ , hello," his sweet mother said sleepily.

"Hey, Esme! Just wanted to let you know that they just discharged Edward. We've got to get some prescriptions but then we're going home," I told her happily.

"That's great, dear! Do you want us to come up there and help?" She offered.

"No, thank you. We're just going to run to the Walmart right over here and get those prescriptions. Maybe I'll pick up something for dinner, too," I offered. "Everyone can come over and visit for a bit." They were going to do that one way or the other, so I might as well feed them.

"Let's put the boy on display," Edward muttered sarcastically under his breath.

I picked up a wadded piece of paper up from the side table and threw it at him. It struck him square in the chest. He looked down at the spot where I hit him, a small smirk on his face. He slowly bent down to pick up the paper. He examined it for a moment before chunking it back at me, it sailing well past my head.

"That would be lovely. Would you rather us pick something up and bring it there though?" I almost forgot about Esme on the phone as I childishly stuck my tongue out at him. He cocked his head to the side, confused by what I was doing. I smiled at him afterward and he returned it brightly. Our new silent conversations were going to interesting, I could tell already.

"No, I'm sick of restaurant food. I'd like to cook something nice for Edward."

At the sound of his name, he came to sit on the bed with me. He lightly pecked my forehead and began to toy with my hair, running his fingers over the tips along my back. I shivered at the delightful feeling of it.

"Just give us a call when you get settled. I think we're going to get a bit more rest," Esme said with a yawn.

I giggled, "I think we may get a nap as well actually."

After the rest of the pleasantries, I hung on the phone and leaned my head against Edward's shoulder.

"How are you?" He asked as his hand glided up and down my back.

"Ready to get home," I told him as I stood. I took the glasses that the doctor gave him, hideous huge black things, and positioned them over his face. "Close your eyes for a second," I told him before I slid them into place.

"Wow, what a difference," he said as he joined me. I took his offered arm and we headed out into the halls.

It was really the first time we had walked together since he had been able to see. I could tell he was trying not to count his steps as he did out of habit. He did it subconsciously most of the time. I was amazed at how he could concentrate on so many things at once. He weaved a little bit, something the doctor warned him he might do. He was still on pain medication and his depth perception would be something he would have to constantly work on until it became natural. His eyes darted from place to place and I could see the questions in his scared green eyes behind the two sets of glasses. He had so many things to learn and he was rightfully overwhelmed.

We finally reached the outside world and in true Louisiana style, the May sun was blazing hot with not a cloud in the sky. Edward turned his face away violently from the light, his eyes shutting tightly.

" _Ow_..." He muttered quietly.

"Come on. Let's go get the things from the store and get you home." I tugged him along towards the truck. He easily let me guide him, his eyes finally adjusting and looking around once again. I opened the truck door for him and he looked at me like I was crazy until he figured out where we were at. He made a little _oh_ noise when he realized and climbed in. He was still doped up, after all.

The store was literally across the four-lane street which I was grateful for. It was one of those superstores that had everything you could possibly think of shoved into one oversized building. I parked on the side with the pharmacy and shut off the engine.

"You can go in without me," Edward mumbled, looking all around him. He looked like a deer in headlights.

"Edward, you're insane. It's a hundred degrees outside. I refuse to let you stay out in the truck. Come on, it's not so bad," I told him, not really giving him a choice. This was one of the things he would have to get used to.

He nodded and sighed as he stepped out of the truck. I came over to meet him, firmly taking his hand as I led him to the front of the store. Once we stepped inside I slid his big plastic glasses off of his face.

"You won't need those inside here."

I grabbed a cart and headed towards the pharmacy first. Edward stuck to my side like a frightened child almost. His arms were crossed over his chest, his eyes darting from side to side. I wondered if they were getting sore from all the movement.

"I have no idea what anything is," he whispered.

"Honey, you can't expect to instantly know. It'll take time," I soothed him. I smiled at the woman at the counter and handed over the prescriptions. She informed us that it would take about an hour. That would give us more than enough time to get everything we wanted for dinner. "What do you want to eat?"

"Anything is fine. I'm not picky." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Something light then? Chicken salads for dinner and fruit salad for dessert?" I offered. We needed all the fruits and veggies we could get after all the horrid fast food we had been eating in the hospital.

"Sounds great." He gave me a strained smile and I rubbed his crossed arms in a comforting way.

I moved toward the grocery side and went straight to the fruits and vegetables. I started picking things out, placing them into bags and into the cart. Three different kinds of lettuce, spinach, carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, radishes, and mushrooms just for the salads.

"Everything is different but similar," he whispered to me. "Like, those and those." Edward pointed at two different kinds of apples.

"Oh, their both apples. Just different kinds. That one is a Red Delicious and the other is a Granny Smith. It's a light green." I took a couple of both and placed them into their own bags. Fruit would be a perfect way to teach him color.

Edward picked one up and turned it around in his hands. It was the bright red and he held it very close to his nose as he focused on its shine. He could see his own reflection in it, distorted.

"Everything is going to be a learning experience."

"For a while, it is," I told him honestly. "But, I think you'll enjoy it. There are so many beautiful things I want to show you."

He took me into his arms and kissed me lightly. "Thank you so much. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I understand the feeling." I tugged at his hand and started to walk down the dressing aisle. I went to consider my options, my finger tapping against my lip in thought. "What kind of dressing do your parents like?"

"Children..." Edward said to himself. I turned my head to look at him, confused by his statement. I realized that a woman was walking past us, one young child in the cart and another walking along the side. Twins, most likely. They were both looking at Edward with open fascination. The little girls grinned at him a little bit and he smiled crookedly back. He waved at them for a moment, his fingers curling slightly towards his palm.

"Cute, aren't they?" I giggled at his happy expression. It was almost _joyous_. I realized we should have stopped by the nursery window at the hospital before we left. He had never seen a baby before, or kids for that matter.

"They are." He smiled back at me, excited instead of scared for the first time in the store. "Oh, and they like French or Ranch."

 **So, the hospital is real and so is the Walmart and it's really across the street. In fact, Mr. Wood works on the same street and my aunt worked at the Walmart back in the day. Write what you know, right?**

 **If you enjoyed, please alert and fave for more! Follow on my Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth or on Twitter- Kinda_randompic! Come say hi!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Bella Swan**_

"Why don't we take a nap?" I offered Edward, who looked absolutely wiped out after our trip to the store. I couldn't blame him. I would be too after the week he had. Between finals, surgery, new eyesight, and proposals I could probably nap for a day or two.

He nodded his head slowly and let me lead him to the bedroom after I put all the groceries away. He only looked briefly around the house. Edward seemed more interested in taking a break than anything else. He pulled off his glasses, shirt, and pants after he kicked off his flip-flops before he crawled into bed. Sweetly he patted the mattress next to him.

"Don't forget this," I offered him the shield for his eyes. He groaned but took it anyway, placing it on his face. He hated sleeping with it so much. It was uncomfortable.

I kicked off my shoes and pants before I crawled in next to him. He pulled the blanket around us carefully before Edward spooned my body, his nose nuzzled into my hair. He breathed in deeply.

"You always smell amazing," was the last thing he said before falling into a deep almost instant sleep.

I wanted to rest. My mind and body were tired, but there was so much to think about. The main thing that pressed in my mind was the wedding. Our wedding.

I had to make a list of reasons I didn't want to do it and the reasons I did. That seemed easy enough really. The pros and cons.

The pros were simple. Edward being the main one. I would have him by my side for the rest of my life. We would be tied together in the most wonderful of ways. And, everything that was his would be mine as well. Not the money. I didn't care about that. But his family would be mine. His family was wonderful, warm, and welcoming. We would be getting married anyway, so did the amount of time spent being engaged really matter? I meant it when I told him I was ready.

The cons were simple as well. My parent's reaction would not be the happiest, to say the least. We were young, of course. But, many people married young and had long happy marriages. Like Carlisle and Esme. But, what would people say about us?

Like at the hospital I noticed the problems with the cons... they involved other people's thoughts and feelings, not my own. I didn't feel like we were too young. We were both mature adults. What did I care what they assumed? It didn't matter. We were happy.

My father would understand and accept my decision. My mother, on the other hand, would have a royal fit. But, she was going to throw a tantrum no matter when we married. It didn't matter if it was the next day or in five years.

I wanted Edward. That was the bottom line. I would do everything I could to make him happy and I knew he would do the same. I knew that he wouldn't have brought it up so soon if he didn't truly want it. If he didn't truly want me.

I rolled over to see his peaceful sleeping face. It was _beautiful_. I adored him. He was my light and my reason for living. And, I was his. So, why did it matter when I signed the papers? Besides, the sooner we did it, the smaller the wedding would be.

 _I wonder if he would want to get married tomorrow_ , I thought jokingly to myself.

I touched the side of his face and grazed my fingers against his full lips. They began to twitch until he finally lifted up the shield. His sparkling green eyes focused on me and his lips turned into a full smile.

"I could get used to this," Edward said in a sleepy but flirty voice.

"I really do hope you get used to it..." I trailed off. I bit my lip, thinking of how I wanted to bring up my answer to him. I sucked in a deep breath. "When did you want to get married?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" His eyebrows knit together in confusion. He was still half asleep and a bit drugged up still. I smiled to myself.

I leaned forward and pressed my lips against his carefully. His eyes followed my mouth until it touched his and he slowly closed his eyes as he relaxed into the gentle kiss. I pulled away and rested my forehead on his.

"Edward, you pick out the date and I will be there in a white dress."

He chuckled against my mouth, the happiness glowing in his eyes. He pulled me to him tightly and nuzzled my neck. I held him to me, my fingers twisted into his lovely auburn hair.

"You mean it?"

"I do," I promised, his happiness infectious.

"Oh, those are beautiful words." His smile grew even wider.

I smiled at him sweetly as I played with his hair. I tugged it playfully in front of his eyes. He watched, fascinated.

"You had a date in mind?"

"I was thinking maybe mid-June."

"Before or after your birthday?" I asked. June twentieth wasn't that far away. It was just less than a month.

"Before. If that's alright?" Edward asked softly like if he said it too loudly it would make me angry.

"Do you think we can get everything done before then?" I said curiously.

"We don't want a huge wedding. You'll have my mother, Alice, and Rose to help. We can talk about ideas. All we'd need to do is find a place, a justice of the peace, and find some clothes. If it's a small enough group we can just go to a restaurant afterward," he spoke his thoughts out loud.

"I like that idea," I told him honestly. "We'd also have to get a cake."

"Bella, are you sure about this?" He asked me seriously. I nodded slowly and leaned in to kiss his soft lips again. His fingers ran through my hair carefully, twisting the strands between his fingertips again. "I was thinking about something else..." Edward trailed off.

"What's that?"

"The first time we... I mean, it won't be the _first_ first time, but I was thinking..." He blushed a soft pink color. It was so cute on him. I realized what he meant right away. No wonder he didn't want to wait that long.

"You want the first time we make love after the surgery to be on our wedding night?" I finished for him. He nodded his head slowly, biting his lip nervously. It was so sweet.

"If you don't want to, I understand. I just want it to be perfect."

"Edward, that's fine. We're going to be so busy and you should be careful for a while anyway. But, do you think you can keep your hands off of me?" I teased him. I poked his chest playfully and his grin grew.

"Oh, I won't be able to keep my hands to myself." Edward gripped my waist tightly and rolled over on top of me, his knees on either side of my thighs. "I'll never be able to keep from touching you." It was the first time we had been in this position and he was studying my every feature at the new angle.

"If you don't stop it we're not going to make it a day," I said with a sigh after he pulled away from a quick kiss. He smirked a little bit as he played with the collar of my shirt. I leaned up quickly and kissed his lips very lightly. "How do you want to go about asking your mother for help? It's a lot to ask so quickly."

 _ **Edward Cullen**_

"I think we should agree on a date first," I watched as she nibbled her lip. It was such an erotic sight for some reason. I felt instantly stupid for wanting to wait as I gazed down upon her. Bella was being sweet and innocent and all I could think was dirty thoughts.

I had good reasons for waiting though. I wanted it to be a romantic evening and what would be more romantic than the first night of our honeymoon? Plus, I wanted to give myself time to heal. I knew the doctor said it was fine, but I was still worried. Her body was such a temptation though.

"The thirteenth is a Saturday," she shrugged her shoulders finally.

"That may be a bit too soon. Also, do you want our anniversary to be on Friday the thirteenth?" I teased. Bella giggled softly.

"I guess you're right. It doesn't really matter if it's a weekend or not. Would the nineteenth be okay? Or, is that too close to your birthday?"

"That would be perfect," I said with a grin. I liked the idea of getting a birthday a gift a day early.

"Oh, I told them that I would call when we woke up. I almost forgot about your parents coming over tonight. You distracted me." She moved to sit up a bit. I moved beside her so that I was sitting on my knees. "We can tell them then."

"Whenever you'd like."

I watched as Bella reached for the slim phone on the nightstand. She hit two buttons and the phone was dialing loudly.

"Hey, Esme. I just wanted to let you know that whenever you want to come over you can. We're awake now. I'm making chicken salads and fruit salad for dinner. Just something light and healthy."

I could hear my mother speaking to her on the other end. I couldn't hear the words clearly though. I was too busy watching Bella's face as she spoke. It was mesmerizing.

"Okay, love you, too. See you in a bit." Bella clicked another button and dialed another. Alice picked up on the second ring. "Hey Ali, when are you coming over tonight?"

Her I could hear clearly. " _Whenever you want. Anything you want me to bring?"_

"Just your sexy self," Bella teased. "Could you call everyone else for me? I need to start dinner."

" _Sure thing. We'll be there in thirty minutes to help,"_ Alice said cheerfully before she hung up on Bella without saying goodbye.

"Come on, handsome. Let's get cleaned up." Bella tugged at my hand, pulling me off of the bed.

It was amazing to watch her in the kitchen. Most of the things Bella had to tell me what they were, but some I figured out by the sounds. Like her knife slicing against the plastic bright blue cutting board. She seasoned the chicken and put it in the oven to roast. She moved so quickly. I wondered if everyone could do that or if it was just Bella.

My friends and family didn't even bother to knock anymore. My mother came into the kitchen and gave me a quick hug.

"Go put some music on," she commanded. I think she just wanted me to vacate the stool by the island.

I could hear the laughing and chatting. Alice and the gang came in as I was walking into the living room. They surprised me, making me jump.

Alice giggled and hopped over to me. "Jumpy, jumpy. So, where is the blushing bride?"

"Kitchen."

"Thanks!" She skipped off, pulling Rosalie along with her. Emmett plopped himself on the couch, along with Jasper.

"Edward, would you be offended if I brought my Playstation in here to play?" Emmett asked. "Please?" He said it like a little kid asking a parent to play with a toy.

"Go ahead. I'd love to watch." I shrugged my shoulders. I went over to my music collection and felt my fingers along the spine to read the braille but I decided against putting something on since Emmett was going to play. He was already out the door and heading to his jeep when I said it was alright. I had always been curious.

I sat next to Jasper carefully. "How's it going?" He asked.

"Great, actually. Bella and I set a date for the wedding..."

"Already?" He turned to me, his snow blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Yeah, June nineteenth."

"Of next year? That'll give you plenty of time to-" I cut him off with a raise of my hand.

"No, this year."

I heard my mother squeal from the dining room. It was a high pitched sound of excitement. She must have heard me. I turned to watch them through the opened door. "Oh! That's wonderful. You don't have to step it up just because we'll be in town. Oh, but I'd love to help. Bella, would that be okay?"

"I was hoping for it," Bella said as she placed something on the island. She walked over to my mother. "You don't think it's too soon?" She inquired.

"Carlisle and I barely waited a month to get married. I think this is wonderful! So many things to do!" She bounced in place. I smiled at my mother excited sounds.

"You've created a monster," my father mumbled under his breath. She shot him an evil look that even I got right away.

 _ **Bella Swan**_

The night had been fun. The girls only seem to talk about the wedding while the guys, including Carlisle, were playing video games. Edward watched with a curious expression the entire time, asking a lot of questions about what he saw. The game was surprisingly realistic looking and grossly graphic. He kept cocking his head to the side in confusion and curiosity.

I crawled into bed with him, yawning as I did. He was watching me with the same quiet perplexed expression he had when he was watching Emmett play _Grand theft Auto_ like a maniac.

"What?" I asked.

"You're so beautiful," he smiled sweetly. Edward took my face into his hands and brought my lips to his very carefully. The kiss was gentle, tender. I knew he was afraid to make it anymore passionate because of the surgery. "You promise you don't mind waiting?" He asked with his forehead resting against mine.

I bit my lip before I answered, thinking it over for a second as I did. "No, I don't," and the truth was, I didn't mind. I was afraid though that he would not be attracted to me the more time passed. What if he saw something he didn't like before the wedding? Or worse, _after_?

"What's the matter?" He pressed softly. It was always amazing to me that he could tell by the tone of my voice or the tension in my body my mood. I wondered if he was already starting to understand my expressions as well. I would have to learn to control them better. I didn't want to confuse or hurt him.

"Nothing," I lied poorly. He sighed heavily and traced his fingers over my cheek.

"Tell me," he commanded firmly, his sparkling green eyes boring into mine. It was like he put me under a spell.

"I'm worried you'll find me repulsive," I whispered softly.

"Repulsive? Isabella, don't be silly. By what I've seen of you already," as he spoke he ran his hands up the outside of my thighs, "you are too tempting for words."

"You're just saying that," I mumbled, turning my face away.

"I never ever just say anything. Do you understand me?" He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him again. His eyes were almost worse than his pouting. He could win anything with that intense stare. "I want you so badly that it hurts, but I want to make sure everything is perfect for the both of us."

I opened my mouth to say something but he moved so that he was on top of me. With one of his hands, he grazed my stomach underneath my shirt. "If you look a quarter as good as you feel, I'm going to die of pleasure the first time I see you completely undressed. All the blood is going to flow out of my brain and into-"

I cut him off with a giggle. He smiled brightly and I could tell this was the reaction he wanted.

"Edward Cullen, you are too much."

He leaned down and captured my lips in a slow, sensual kiss, which surprised me greatly with its intensity. Edward pressed down carefully against me, his weight pleasant. I couldn't help but wrap my arms and legs around him. My fingers twisted into his hair, bringing him closer to me. After a few minutes, he finally released my lips with a happy smile.

"As long as I'm enough for you, that's all that matters."

 **The date has been set!**

 **If you enjoyed please fave and alert for more and you can follow me on Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth or Twitter- Kinda_randompic.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Bella Swan**_

"Come on. Wake up, sleepy head." I tugged at his hand. Edward grunted and rolled back over.

"I don't want to and you can't make me," he mumbled softly. I slapped his backside hard, trying to get his attention. " _Ow_."

"I have something special for you planned today. Actually, a few special things. We have to get up if we're going to do them all."

"Where is the non-morning person I've grown to love?" He asked in a sleepy voice.

"She's got things to do today and so do you." In all honesty, I wasn't going to tell him that I had been up for an hour and already had three cups of coffee.

"Bella," he whined, "come crawl back into bed. And, take your clothes off while you're at it." He patted the empty space next to him, refusing to open his eyes.

"Nope, sorry. Fine. Sleep a little bit longer. I'm going to go get undress, slowly, and step into a steaming hot shower," I told Edward just to get a rise out of him. He huffed and rolled over dramatically onto his back.

"You are so mean." He pulled off the shield from his eyes. "Like I'll be able to sleep after you say something like that."

I giggled, "that was the point. Get dressed."

Edward went over to the closet and started to examine all that he owned. "They're almost all alike," he said rather glumly.

"I'm sure if you ask Alice she'd love to take you shopping for some new stuff," I told him as a pulled on my shoes. I would save my shower for later. I was too excited to wait.

"I'd rather go with you." He pulled off his sleep pants and pulled on a pair of jeans. It was hard not to watch him. He pulled out one of his black cotton tee shirts. He slipped it over his head, his muscles rippling as he went. He turned around and smiled wildly. "You're checking me out."

"I wasn't-" I tried to defend myself, but I found I couldn't finish the lie. "Shut up," I mumbled. He chuckled and went over to his sock drawer.

"No, I think that's good. Do you find me attractive or something?"

"You know the answer to that question and you don't need a bigger ego." I stood up and smoothed out my shirt. Edward walked over to me, one of his arms wrapping around my waist.

He traced his nose along my jawline, breathing in as he went. His lips trailed over my neck, goosebumps raising in his path. I shuddered and relaxed against his body. He brought his lips against my ear.

"It's good to know you think I'm attractive."

"You are beyond attractive," I told him honestly. He brought my earlobe in between his lips and suckled ever so gently. "Oh, _Edward_..." I breathed.

"You taste divine." He grinned as he pulled back. He then proceeded to swat my bottom. "Payback for earlier."

"What?" I sputtered in shock.

He went over to the side table and picked up his glasses. Edward slipped them onto his face then swooped down to pick of his shoes. I didn't think he was going to answer at first until he started to make his way into the living room.

"Payback. Do you know how uncomfortable it is to get an erection when you're sleeping on your stomach?"

I growled at him. He turned, his face beaming. Edward winked at me playfully before moving out of sight.

"Dammit, I wish he didn't have that kind of power," I mumbled to myself. I shifted my legs uncomfortable. I guess I did deserve it, a little.

 _ **Edward Cullen**_

It was a dirty trick, but a lot of fun. If she was going to tease me about things she knew I enjoyed it was only fair to return the favor. She didn't seem too upset by the whole thing.

I put on the ugly sunglasses the doctor gave me before we stepped outside. Bella took my hand, helping me down the stairs. I was surprised to find that I needed it.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Well, one of the things you talked about before your surgery was going to an art museum. There are a couple here. I figured we can make a day of it."

"But, I don't know what anything is," I complained.

"Edward, it will be a learning experience. I will be with you every step of the way. I've brought my digital camera so you can take pictures and that way it'll help you remember what everything is. Besides, I figured we could use a day just us two." She pouted a bit, one of the expressions I learned the first day. Her bottom lip jutted out a bit.

"A day together does sound nice," I admitted. She hopped in place, an action I found fascinating. Logically I knew things _bounced_ but watching them was another thing.

"Good, because I have the whole day planned. A couple of hours at the Norton Art Gallery and then we can grab some lunch somewhere on Line Avenue. After that, we can go to the Barnwell Art Center and Garden. That's right by the river and we can-" I cut her off with a kiss.

"Slow down, beautiful. We've got a lifetime together. We don't have to see it all today," I told her in a soft voice.

She looked a little sullen but nodded. Bella opened the truck door for me and I climbed in. I was starting to notice little things, things that everyday people would understand automatically. I figured a lot of stuff out on my own, simply from the knowledge I already had. The front lawn was covered in green grass, the things at the end of it must have been mailboxes. Cars were parked in the driveway. Normal people knew that without even thinking. That bothered me a little bit, but I knew I would grow and learn.

The drive didn't take that long. I stared out the window with open fascination. I would ask questions and Bella would happily answer them, usually in detail. We pulled into a parking lot that was surrounded by trees and bushes, a large building hidden behind. I examined the color of the stones, trying to understand what it was. It was not white nor was brown.

"What color is the building?" I asked in a low voice so no one else could hear me.

"Um," she bit her lip in thought. "Tan, I guess."

I stored the information away for later. Bella pulled something out of her purse and handed it to me.

"What's this?" I asked.

"It's a camera. If you see something you want to remember you just take a picture. See, this is how you turn it on," she pointed to one button, "and, if you see something you want to take a photo of, you press this one," she pointed to another button.

"Is this the camera I got you for Christmas?" I twisted the piece of plastic between my fingers.

"It sure is. I love it, by the way." She smiled sweetly at me. "Take as many pictures as you want and we can go print them out later tonight. I'll even make a scrapbook for you if you like."

"Have I told you how amazing you are lately?"

 _ **Bella Swan**_

Four hours and three hundred pictures later we were finally out to lunch. We wouldn't have as much time at the other museum, but it was smaller. As I pulled up in front of Jason's Deli my stomach growling at me for not eating breakfast. Edward's was doing much the same.

We ordered and got our number, deciding to get two different kinds of sandwiches and sharing. We probably got too much food but neither of us really cared. It was a great day so far and it was fun to indulge.

"I can't get used to how food looks," he told me quietly when we got our meal. He placed half of his Cuban on my plate while I gave him half of my turkey club on white. "Looking at some of it makes me hungrier, others less."

"I'll give you advice my mother gave me when I was young and refused to eat anything: _Don't knock it until you try it. Usually the stranger it looks the better it tastes._ " I shrugged, taking a huge bite out of my pickle. He made a little face at my silly grin and shook his head.

"You're right, of course. I'll just have to get used to it."

"What made you hungrier?" I asked with curiosity.

"The fruit. I guess because it was bright. Plus, it smells good which helps," he mulled it over for a second. "I hope I find more stuff I find appetizing soon."

We chatted throughout the rest of lunch about pretty much nothing at all. It was hard not to notice how his eyes followed my every movement. I couldn't help but blush either. Whenever I did something he would find amusing a certain small crooked smile would twitch at the corners of his mouth.

"Your truck is... not as _shiny_... as most cars, I've noticed," Edward said as we began to drive to our next destination.

"Well, it is a sixty-year-old truck. It's not as pretty but it's stable."

He shrugged his shoulders, letting the subject drop. I was teased about my ancient truck, but it was my baby. I loved it dearly. It may not have been fast and it may not have been shiny, but it worked. And, it had armor like a tank.

We walked through the halls of the small Barnwell center, Edward slightly less impressed with the art collection there. He commented on only a few things to me.

"Why don't we go into the garden?" I tugged at his hand, leading him to the double doors towards the large glass dome covered conservatory that was directly connected to the halls with the art.

As soon as I opened the doors he gasped. It was covered in green, dotted with wild colors at random spots. Butterflies flew around in the mist, giving it an almost ethereal feel. The large glass dome over our heads brought in tones of natural soft light. There were perfect sunbeams piercing through.

"This is beautiful," he said in awe.

"I think so, too," I told him as I led him down the stairs.

"So, these are tropical flowers I take it?" He asked with uncertainty in his voice.

"You're right. How did you figure that out?" I asked in a soft tone. I didn't want to make him feel stupid, I was just curious. I wanted to see his line of reasoning. We hadn't discussed what might have possibly been housed inside.

He scrunched up his face for a moment before he answered, "well, it's warm in here, to start with. And, they're so different from the ones I saw earlier. The flowers are so big and bright. I love it."

I smiled at his enthusiasm. Seeing things for the first time with him was liking seeing it the first time myself. He took my hand and we walked down the stairs closer to some of the shrubs. There was a small waterfall in the corner with golden koi fish floating in the pond at the bottom. I felt like we were hidden off in our own little paradise.

"We should get married here," he said in a hushed tone. Edward turned to look for my reaction, hopeful. I smiled and nodded.

"That's a great idea. I don't know if we'll be able to. I think you have to set up those things way in advance at the front desk." I shrugged my shoulders. I hated to disappoint him. Instead of being aggravated, he stopped to think for a moment. He gripped my hand and started to nearly run up the stairs. "Where are we going?" I asked, trying to keep my balance. He was still more graceful than me.

"Well, we might as well ask. It's not going to hurt anyone, is it? Where's the desk?" He stopped and looked around. I pointed my finger towards the front. There was a girl there with glasses and her mousy brown hair in a bun behind a large wooden desk. She was reading a romance novel, obviously bored. There was no one else but us there. He rushed towards her. "Excuse me, miss. Is there any way we can arrange an event here?"

The girl stopped and nearly dropped her book. Her mouth hung open and she blushed a bright fiery red. Her reaction seemed to surprise Edward a bit because he looked to me for an explanation. I simply shook my head.

She began to stutter, "uh... Um... Yeah, sure. Let me get the calendar out. What day?"

"June nineteenth," Edward said with a grin in my direction. I smiled back. He was so cute.

"We have an event in the morning, but that will end by two. Any time after that is available." She flipped through the papers, reading to make sure she gave us the right information.

Edward turned to me with a glorious smile. "So… What do you say? Around five? That'll give us plenty of time to get ready."

I nodded, surprised that it was happening so fast. We had been engaged less than a week and in less than a month, we would be married.

"That sounds good to me."

"What do we need to do to reserve the place?"

"Okay well, I'll need your name, number, and address. It's a thousand dollars total, five hundred of which is a deposit. If you cancel or somehow damage the property, it will be kept. If you do cancel it has to be within a week of the event, otherwise we keep the whole thing, since we can't rent the room out after that. But, if not, you'll get the deposit back."

"Will a credit card do?" Edward pulled out his black credit card, the one I knew had no limit.

"That'll work fine," the girl said as she averted her eyes from Edward. "Um, also if you'd like instead of cleaning up yourself, for an extra hundred dollars we can arrange to have it cleaned after you leave."

"Sounds fantastic," Edward said as he pulled me into a tight hug. He kissed the top of my head.

"Alright. Well, I'll take your credit card and go run it. Can you fill this out for me?" The girl asked, carefully taking the plastic from Edward's grip. She bit her lip as she watched him. She gave him a clipboard. He just sighed and handed it over to me.

He looked over at me with a frustrated expression. Edward didn't like that he couldn't do it himself.

"It just takes time," I whispered to him. He nodded and sighed again. _So impatient._

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"We'll work on it when we get home," I promised. He gave me a weak smile.

I sat down with the piece of paper the girl had given us and began to fill it out. _Name, number, and address_. I stopped when it got to the _type of event_ space. I wrote the word out slowly, letting it hit me completely.

 _ **Wedding**_

I looked over the contract, making sure there was nothing outrageous about it. I pointed at the bottom line and told Edward to sign it. He seemed to be fascinated with his handwriting since this was the first time he had ever seen it. He slid the clipboard back to on the desk.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. "You seem quiet."

"I'm just surprised how excited I am."

"About what?" He turned his head to me, his lips turned down slightly at the corners.

"Being married. I never thought I would be. But, it's a good thing." I pecked his nose. His lips turned up at the corners as he leaned his forehead against mine. Edward took in a deep breath, closing his eyes.

"Alright, Mr. Cullen! That's all we need for you. If we have any problems we'll contact you." The girl took the piece of paper and looked it over. She frowned a little bit when she saw that it was going to be a wedding.

As we walked back to the car after finishing up with the paperwork Edward looked to be debating something.

"Why did that girl do that?"

"Do what?" I asked innocently.

"Her expressions. I seem to make her nervous. Why?" He adjusted his glasses, pushing them further up his nose.

"You are a handsome man, for one. Plus, she was reading a romance novel. She probably thought someone in her book popped to life," I giggled, teasing him.

Edward rolled his eyes, smirking. "I'm not that good looking, I'm sure."

I stopped when we got to the truck. I wrapped my arms around his neck, squeezing tightly. "You are. So you better get used to that. You're like… _super_ hot. You made me stutter and blush like an idiot the first time I saw you for a reason, Edward."

"Oh, really?" His grin turned wicked and he pressed me against the side of the truck. He hitched my leg around his hip and began to assault my neck with kisses. "Well, that's good to know."

"I am going to be tortured with this information later, aren't I?"

"Yup," he smiled at me charmingly.

 **The Barnwell is not there anymore. It's now an aquarium, but I do have some pictures of the area if you're interested! Come check them out on Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth! You can also follow me on twitter! Kinda_randompic!**

 **If you enjoyed please fave and alert for more!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Bella Swan**_

About a week had passed since Edward's surgery. He was adjusting fairly well. We had started on reading and identifying objects. He was doing great. He was frustrated with his progress though, but his desire to be like everyone else was strong. It drove him. It filled his every moment.

Esme and Alice were busy setting up things for the wedding already. We told them that we didn't want anything big but they complained that we would at least need food, clothing, and at the minimum some decorations. Esme loved the place Edward picked out, but I think if we were married in a barn she would have still been happy. Actually, barn weddings were very fashionable. Alice would have approved.

"Bella, dear, have you told your parents yet?" Esme asked as she wrote some notes. She had been working on the computer for the past twenty minutes at the dinner table, scribbling furiously on a yellow legal pad. Edward was beside her, looking at a photo album. As soon as she asked the question he looked at me.

"No, not yet," I admitted quietly.

"Well, I've reserved them both plane tickets. I reserved two for your mother and one of your father. Is there anyone else you'd like me to invite from out of town?" She typed on the computer as she spoke.

"No, ma'am. That's my entire family," I shrugged.

"I would suggest that you call your parents by the end of the week so they can take the time off."

"If they even want to come," I mumbled under my breath.

Edward reached for my hand and gave it a tiny squeeze. "Charlie will be more than happy to come, I think."

"And, my mother?"

"If she doesn't want to come, that's her problem. She'll miss out on seeing the most beautiful bride in the world." He smiled at me reassuringly. I sighed and shrugged my shoulders again. He tugged on my hand to grab my attention. "You are beautiful."

"Edward is right. You're going to make a lovely bride." Esme smiled at me sweetly. She was so warm and loving. I was so glad that she was going to be my mother, too.

"Thank you," I whispered.

I sat on the bed later that night, around nine in the evening with my legs crossed as I stared at the phone. Stupid little intimidating thing. Why couldn't they just instantly know and be happy about it? Why did I have to talk to them?

I decided to deal with my father first. I was a lot less likely to cry after that conversation. If I talked to my mother first I would have to put him off until the next day and I didn't want to do that. I knew Renee would call him right away to complain anyway. Charlie wouldn't do that to me.

I dialed the number quickly before I lost my nerve. It only rang twice before he answered, "hello?"

"Hey, Dad. How are you?" I tried to say lightly. I didn't work very well.

"Great, kiddo. How are you and Edward doing?" He asked. He seemed fairly distracted. I knew I would have his undivided attention in a moment.

"Fantastic. He's doing really well after the surgery. Anyway, I have a question."

"Fire away." I could hear sports in the background.

"Um," I thought for a moment before I spoke, "What are you doing June nineteenth?"

"Not a clue. Why?" He stopped whatever he was doing. "Are you coming to visit?" He said hopefully.

"Actually, I was hoping that you'd come to visit us. We're getting married," I said the last part quickly, so fast I don't think he heard it.

"What?" he said slowly.

I gathered my courage, taking a deep breath. "We're getting married. I'd like you to be there to watch me walk down the aisle."

"This year?"

I laughed with frazzled nerves, "yes, _this_ year."

"Isn't that kind of soon?" He asked, the concern coloring his tone.

"I love Edward and I want to be with him. He asked and I said yes. We've picked out a place and everything. I'll understand if you can't come," I said sadly. "I know it's really soon and it's on short notice. I do want you there, though."

"No, I'll be there. I just want to make sure this is what you want," he said softly. Charlie almost sounded as if he were about the cry. I hoped not because I would start to sobbing too. I couldn't handle it if my hard father wept.

"Yeah, Dad. It is what I want." Edward came in from his shower, still slightly wet. His eyes focused on me and the telephone as I spoke. He didn't say anything but smiled.

"Alright, as long as you're happy. So, what days do I need to take off, kid?" He said rather brightly. I smiled and sighed in relief. I would owe my father a very large hug when I saw him.

 _ **Edward Cullen**_

I crawled into bed with her after taking a shower. I laid in just my sleep pants, listening to her with open curiosity.

"Yeah, dad. It is what I want."

Charlie said something that I didn't quite understand but Bella smiled, so that is all that mattered. She was happy and she seemed to have already told him about the wedding. That was a good sign. I hoped Renee would act as well, but I doubted it very much.

Bella explained to him about the wedding, what day his tickets were reserved and what hotel he would be staying at. The entire wedding party, excluding us, was staying at the El Dorado Casino and Hotel in their own rooms, which was literally within walking distance of the Art Center we were getting married at. My mother had even reserved rooms for Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett. Bella and I would get ready in the rooms with them.

I watched as Bella hung up the phone and leaned up against the headboard.

"That went well."

"That's good. So, he's coming?" I smiled.

Bella traced a finger over my wet chest, smiling a little to herself. "Yes, and by the way, he says _congratulations, boy_."

I beamed when she said that. She giggled and leaned forward, lightly pressing her lips to mine for a slow moment before messing up my wet hair so that it fell in front my eyes.

"So, what now?" I asked.

"I call my mother," she sighed again, her good mood gone instantly.

"Can't we put that off a little while? We can snuggle up under the covers and..." I trailed off, letting her fill in the blanks with whatever she wanted. She could talk me into anything she wanted.

Bella shook her head, flushing a little. "Tempting, but no. I need to do this now. I want Phil to be able to get the time off he needs to."

"Just remember that you're strong and whatever she says is just... _noise_ ," I told her. I took her hand and gave it a little kiss where her engagement ring now sat. I liked to look at it on her lovely light skin. "If she doesn't come it will be her loss, not ours."

"I know, but I still want her to come. Even if she is nuts."

"I want her to come too, simply because I know it'll make you happy if she's there for you. But, if she isn't comfortable with that, then we have to accept that. Will you be able to do that?" I asked, looking into her beautiful brown eyes. They were shining in a different way and I couldn't figure exactly out why.

She nodded her head slowly and gave me a half smile. I touched her cheek lightly, letting my fingers dance across her jawline. Bella was so delicate and soft. I wanted to touch her more but I knew she would be uncomfortable with that right then. She wanted to get the call to her mother over with and I knew I would be comforting her afterward.

Bella slowly dialed the number, watching her fingers as she moved them across the pad before bringing the phone up to her ear. I laid my hand on her leg and I realized she was shaking. I sat up, ready for the moment that she would need to be held. I knew what was coming and I _hated_ it.

"Hey, Mom. How are you?" She said with false excitement. "Good, _good_. We're doing great. Actually, we have some good news." There was a pause. "Edward and I are getting married next month."

" _WHAT!_ " was the only word I could understand in the scramble of things yelled very loudly.

Bella pulled the phone away from her ear and growled. She took a deep breath before bringing it back. "No Renee, I'm not pregnant. Yes, I'm sure. Hey! Don't say that about him. You said you were going to be nice! HEY!" She ripped the phone away again. Her eyes shut tightly and she bit her lip.

I took the phone from her fingertips.

"Good evening, Renee. I understand completely if you cannot come to _support_ your daughter, but if you wish to, your plane tickets have been bought and paid for, along with your hotel room. Let us know if you change your mind. Have a good night." I hung up before she could yell anything at me. I placed the odd shaped piece of plastic on the table.

Bella was crying silently, biting her lip hard. Suddenly, she launched herself at me.

"Thank you!"

"For what?" I asked as I wrapped my arms around her waist.

"For standing up to her. I couldn't have-" I stopped her right there with a kiss.

"You were. I just don't like to see you so upset." I pushed a bit of her hair behind her ear. I looked into her sparkling eyes, hating the sadness that was there peering back at me. There was nothing I could really do about that though or her stupid troll of a mother. I held her until the sobbing slowed to a stop. She fell asleep in my arms as I hummed a song and played with her hair.

I pulled us under the covers and I fell asleep holding her close to my body. Her tiny hands clung to my shoulders for dear life as she laid on top of me. I didn't mind that she wrapped herself so tightly around me, I just wished it was for a happier reason.

Sleep and dreams. Those two things had become very interesting for me in the past week. Each dream that I had became more and more detailed. But this dream was the best yet.

Bella and I were in bed, talking. _That's it._ I watched her changing expressions from laughter to smiling happiness. Bella's tiny fingers slid across my face, dancing across the surface. It was so light and wonderful. Slowly she leaned forward to press her soft lips against mine and...

The phone rang. _Dammit._

I reached for it blindly, not bothering to open my eyes. I was still laying flat on my stomach, the side of my face still pressed into the pillow. "Hello?" I said huskily into the phone, my voice still filled with sleep. I coughed once roughly to clear it, rolling over to my back.

"Hello?" Renee said, confused. "Can I speak to Bella, please?" She actually said it politely.

"Hold on, " my hand patted the side of the bed as I pulled the phone away from my ear. "Bella?" I called loudly when I didn't feel her. There was no answer. "She doesn't appear to be here right now, Mrs. Dwyer. Would you like me to give her a message?"

"Actually, I guess I should tell this to you as well. I'm sorry about last night. I talked to Phil about it, and my therapist, and I overreacted. It's her choice if she marries you. If she's happy I should be supportive," she said in a sullen tone as if she were almost forced into saying it. But, I would take it and be happy with it. I knew it's all I would get.

"Thank you. I apologize for being so short with you last night. Bella was upset though and I had to do something about it.

"I understand," she said with a pouty sigh.

"I'll tell her that you called." I sat up a little bit, taking off the shield and feeling around for my eyeglasses on the nightstand.

"Thank you. Oh, and please tell her that we will be there. At the wedding, I mean."

"I will. We'll see you then. Have a good day," I told her before I hung up. I sat up completely and swung my feet off of the bed.

 _It is unlike Bella to leave without telling me,_ my brain finally told me. I wasn't the smartest of people in the morning.

I padded around the house and called her name softly, "Bella, love? Are you here?"

I got to the dining room and looked out of the window. Apparently, our yard was rather small, but we didn't need much. Bella was very fond of the pear tree. I turned my face to the side slightly and saw a flash of brown. _Bella_ , I thought to myself.

I went outside, barefoot and shirtless, venturing just underneath the covered patio without my sunglasses. Bella was wrapped in a throw blanket, staring out at something I didn't see or at least didn't understand, on the swing.

"Isabella, are you okay?" I asked as I sat beside her.

She shook her head and cleared her throat. The words and the actions didn't match. "Yeah, I'm fine. Did I wake you?"

"No, actually, your mother did. She just called."

"What did _crazy_ want?" Bella growled under her breath.

"She actually apologized," I told her softly. Her face turned towards me and her mouth hung open in what I assumed was disbelief.

She turned her face away. "Huh, didn't expect that."

"Me, either." I shrugged my shoulders and sat back more comfortably against the cushions. "You should call her later though."

She nodded without speaking. She took my hand and brought it to her lips. Bella lightly brushed them against my knuckles in the most loving way. All I could do was smile and gaze at her. Nothing in my world was as bright and as beautiful as her nor would there ever be. I decided it was time for her to get out of her depressed mood.

I stood up and tugged Bella to her feet.

"Come on, I want my first cooking lesson," I said too brightly.

Bella giggled, the sadden expression from earlier melting away slowly.

"Are you hungry or something?" She teased, wiping her palm against his eyes and nose.

"Yup, I sure am. And, I was wondering if my beautiful lovely sexy _wife_ could teach me how to make... biscuits and gravy?" I pouted playfully after drawing out each word, just trying to make her smile. I knew she enjoyed cooking that and it would give her something to think about before she talked to her mother again, even if Renee was playing nice for a moment. Bella needed to get some her confidence back.

"Oh, _wife_? I'm not your wife, yet," her arms wrapped around my neck, her tiny body pressing against mine. She was so soft and delicate, her thin fingers twisting into my hair as she lovingly gazed up at me. Bella looked at me with so much adoration. It was almost overwhelming.

"Three weeks," I answered as I nuzzled her neck. "And, it couldn't come fast enough, my sweet Isabella."

She hummed in pleasure as my lips grazed her neck, tiny kisses leading up to the sensitive spot behind her ear. I brought her lips to mine for a moment, kissing her passionately. I needed to show her all my love and adoration, too.

Bella pulled away, her eyes glistening with fresh tears. "Thank you."

"For what?" I asked as I brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. I was fascinated by the shiny strands and the way the colors changed in the sunlight. I couldn't stop touching it.

"For being such a good husband already."

 **Renee is a troll.**

 **If you enjoyed please fave and alert for more! You can also follow me on Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth and on Twitter- Kinda_randompic.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Bella Swan**_

Three weeks passed in a hurried blur. Between wedding planning and study sessions with Edward, we were always busy. It always seemed like we had something to do from the second we got up from the second we went to sleep.

Edward amazed me at how well he adapted. I don't know _why_... I knew he was brilliant. He just seemed to prove it more and more every day. He was reading a lot on his own and even though it was slow going because of the larger words that he didn't recognize right away, it was incredible. There was no other word for it. He was frustrated because he wasn't learning as fast as he wanted, but he was always so damn stubborn.

At times Edward seemed a bit depressed about what he saw, explaining that some of it was not like he imagined and other things were just so overwhelming. But, whenever it was just the two of us he was always smiling. I couldn't help but smile too when I was around him.

It was the day before our wedding and our entire family was gathered around us. We both decided we didn't want to have separate parties, especially if strippers might be involved. I didn't trust Rosalie and Alice not to do something stupid like that.

So, we decided to do one of the things on Edward's list. He had yet to _see_ a movie at a theater. The one at the Boardwalk was doing a one night only event of the re-release of Star Wars: A New Hope. I couldn't think of anything better to see the first time. Star Wars was a classic. I was surprised how excited Edward was to see it.

Esme and Carlisle had arranged for everyone to have a room at the El Dorado Casino, which was less than a hundred feet from the art center. Before meeting up at the Boardwalk we arranged all of our things in the room, preparing for the next day. That night Alice, Rose, and I would be staying in a room together while the guys were in another on a different level.

"Are you nervous?" Alice asked as she hung up the garment bag containing her dress.

"Not as much as I thought I would be. I thought I'd be... shaking or something? I'm just a tad anxious to get it over with." I shrugged my shoulders.

"How romantic." Rosalie rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"I am Edward's in every way that matters. No piece of paper makes a difference," I told her with a laugh at her sour expression.

"Pieces of paper can be important," she mumbled under her breath.

"Only to you because Emmett doesn't want to get one," Alice pointed out. Rose stuck out her tongue, throwing a shoe in her direction.

I couldn't help but laugh at their display, "Rose, Em loves you. He'll grow up soon, hopefully."

"He better," she muttered as she crossed her arms angrily.

 _ **Edward Cullen**_

"Dude, you are so much braver than I am," Emmett said as I lounged on the couch where he would be sleeping that night. It turned into a bed. "I mean, Bella is awesome... but, marriage?"

"You know, if you keep thinking of it as a prison and not as something that can be wonderful, you'll never get over this little fear of yours," Jasper said as he flipped the channel, his arm behind his head as he stared off in the direction of the television.

"Can be, may not be." Emmett grabbed a water from the fridge and plopped down next to Jasper on the couch. "And, I ain't afraid of nothing."

"I am not afraid of anything," I corrected his English. He rolled his eyes at me.

"You get my point."

"Why hasn't Rosalie kicked your ass yet?" Jasper asked. "You've been dating for longer than me and Alice and yet you don't live together and you're not engaged. She isn't going to wait forever for you to grow up."

"I'm college. I've got time," he blew Jasper off.

"We're all in college. And, you graduate next year. Don't you think it may be time to move it up to the next level? At least live with the girl?" I asked him as I slid on my shoes. We were supposed to be going downstairs in fifteen minutes to catch the limo.

"Rosie knows I love her."

"Rosalie is a woman who wants a future. Do you think she likes seeing all of her friends around her getting married?" Jasper asked him curiously. "Her feelings are pretty obvious, you idiot."

"You sound like a chick," Em mumbled as he got off the couch. He put on a pair of flip flops and threw on a baseball cap. He looked like a giant teenager.

"No, I sound like an adult." Jasper threw the remote at him. Emmett caught it and beamed. He started to flip through the adult channels. "I'm going to tell Rose," Jasper added as he started out of the room.

"Then I'll tell Alice!" He shouted at Jasper's back.

"She'd only be annoyed that I wasn't watching with her," Jasper dismissed with a wave of his hand.

Emmett rushed out of the room after him. "Really? Rose hates porn."

I shook my head at both of them, rolling my eyes. They were such big kids sometimes. I followed behind them as they continued to egg each other on. It continued the entire elevator ride down, needing no input from me. I didn't need to know their tastes in porn and I had no plans to seek any out. I was half surprised Emmett hadn't tried to show me something dirty yet. I was sure it was coming, though.

As I walked out of the double doors towards the valet I saw the only person I ever wanted to see. My Isabella. I walked straight to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. I kissed her lightly as I lifted her off the ground for just a second. She giggled, her fingers wrapped loosely around the back of my neck. She stayed on her tiptoes, leaning against me.

"Hi there."

"Hey," I whispered back. I slowly put her back on her feet and rested my forehead against hers.

Someone cleared his throat beside me and I automatically turned my face towards the noise. There was a rather red-faced stout man with brownish black hair and brown eyes like Bella.

"It's nice to see you again, Edward."

"It's nice to see you as well, Chief Swan." I smiled at him, offering him my hand. He took it with a small smile and shook it back.

Cars and drivers had been waiting for Bella's parent's at the airport, so I had yet to see them. Charlie wasn't the one I was nervous about though.

After a couple of minutes of easy conversation, Chief Swan's expression changed. His posture became straighter. "Hello, Renee."

I turned to see the obviously unhappy woman approaching us. Bella was peeking at her from around me. We said nothing to each other. I was more than grateful for my parent's who decided to show up at that moment as well.

"Is everyone ready to get something to eat?" My father asked as he clapped his hands together. He was genuinely excited.

The ride to the Boardwalk was only a few minutes away, but it was completely silent. Renee sat with her arms crossed in front of her chest in a slight pout. Phil looked annoyed with her, from what I could tell anyway. Everyone else just felt uncomfortable.

We decided to go to Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro for dinner before the movie. There was a table reserved for all eleven of us. There was even champagne waiting. My parents never did anything halfway.

It was dim in the restaurant and I could barely make out the pictures on the menu. I growled and put it down.

"What's wrong?" Bella whispered.

"I can't read it. The letters are too small and it's not bright enough in here. It doesn't matter, it would take me a month anyway." I pushed the menu away from me, annoyed.

"Edward, relax. I can barely read it in here too. Everyone has it pretty close to their faces. Don't get so frustrated. You knew it was going to take time." Her fingertips wrapped around mine and squeezed them gently. Perhaps I was a little nervous about the next day as well.

"I know," I replied as I ran my fingers through my hair. She put her hand on my cheek and brought my face to hers. I accepted her kiss happily, letting my lips linger on hers.

I heard someone clear their throat beside us, a noise that was starting to get on my nerves. I turned to see Renee who had a very sour expression. Even I couldn't miss the silent conversations going on between her and Bella.

My father handed everyone a flute of sparkling liquor, a smile on his face. "I just want to say that I'm so glad that Bella is becoming a part of my family. I've never met such a wonderful girl. Really good job, son," he teased.

I chuckled as I realized that both Bella and I were blushing.

"He's right, you know," I whispered to her. She simply shook her head and smiled.

Bella's father started next, "No offense, Carlisle, but no one is good enough for my daughter. But, if she had to settle, Edward isn't half bad." He smiled brightly to show he was joking. I smiled back. I really did like him.

"Dad," Bella muttered in embarrassment under her breath.

"What? It's true!" He poorly feigned innocence. Bella rolled her eyes, the smile wide across her sweet face.

"All I can say is this... How in the world are you beating us to the altar?" Alice pointed to herself and Jasper. Everyone chuckled at her little joke. She smiled brightly. "To the happy couple," and with that she raised her glass. Everyone drank, even Renee to my surprise.

After Bella helped me with the menu we had a lovely dinner. Everything became more relaxed. I wasn't sure if it was because of the alcohol or everyone just getting to know each other better.

"So, where are you kids going on your honeymoon?" Phil asked. I think it was the first time in the evening that I heard him. It might have been the first time I had heard him speak period. Renee even ordered for him before, them having whispered conversations.

"He won't tell me. Edward says it's a surprise," Bella sighed, annoyed. She fussed at me several times for not telling her, but I told her it was something I wanted to do. I always reassured her that I wasn't going over the top though. I just wanted it to be a surprise.

"Oh, are you going to take her to some tropical island and never bring her back?" Jasper laughed.

"Maybe something like that," I paused, "but, I'm not going to say anything more. I don't want to spoil the surprise."

As we walked out of the restaurant Bella's arm snaked around mine. "I hate surprises," she whispered.

"You'll enjoy it, I think," I reassured her with a kiss on the tip of her nose.

 _ **Bella Swan**_

We still had some time before the movie. We walked around the along the sidewalks, pointing things out to Edward as we went. We went into a few stores as well. He said he found it far more relaxing to shop there than Walmart. Everything was more spread out and the open air was nice, even if it was hot.

"Too bad they don't have a Victoria Secret here, huh Edward?" Alice nudged him in the gut as she skipped ahead of him into a store.

"I refuse to make any comments that will get anything of mine shot off," he said with a smirk.

"Smart boy," my father said as he patted him on the shoulder.

I couldn't help but laugh at poor Edward's blush. He was trying to be on his best behavior. Not only was he frightened of my father, but he was also worried that he would upset my mother. It was a delicate balance.

Renee was staying mostly quiet, but at least Phil was being cheerful. I smiled at him gratefully and he smiled back. _At least she was here and not screaming_ , I thought to myself.

We walked along the river for a few moments. The sun was starting to set and the neon on the Texas Street Bridge was starting to come on. Edward wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder from behind.

"This is actually very pretty. I can't wait to see the rest of the world with my gorgeous wife."

I smiled, turning my face slightly so that my nose brushed against his. He smiled slightly and gave it a little kiss. We were in our own universe and it was wonderful. I didn't want to be any place else.

"Hey, lovebirds! The movie is going to start soon. If we want to get popcorn and drinks we need to hurry up!" Emmett called.

"Edward, I think this is the perfect choice for your first movie! I can't think of anything better," Alice said jovially, hopping along Jasper. It was amazing that even with his long strides he had trouble keeping up with her.

"Well, I've listened to it before and I was always curious." Edward shrugged. "Dad has all on them on DVD and Blu-Ray, the original and the remastered. Probably VHS, too."

"Really?!" Alice jumped in place. "Me, too!"

"Oh, do you like sci-fi?" Carlisle asked with a smile.

"Please, don't get her started," Jasper and I said at the same time.

Alice pouted, huffing a little bit as she raised her chin. Jasper chuckled, "let's talk about your addiction after the movie, okay sweetheart?"

"Okay," she continued to pout until he kissed her forehead.

It was adorable how obviously they were made for each other. They fit each other perfectly. It made me smile to realize that Edward and I were much the same.

We took up an entire row at the movie theater. Carlisle was beside me, Edward on the other. Alice was on the other side of him. We were all talking over each other's head, laughing and munching on candy and popcorn.

I could tell Edward was excited about it. He was practically bouncing in his seat. That is until the writing starting to scroll down.

"It's going too fast. I can't read it," he mumbled in an annoyed tone.

"Oh! I know it by heart!" Alice said with a smile. "It says..." She read the whole thing off to him. I could see Jasper rolling his eyes from three seats away in the dark.

"Son, you are surrounded by beautiful and helpful women, you know that?" Carlisle teased over the top of my head.

"Are you calling me beautiful?" I raised an eyebrow at him and he grinned. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and gave it a little squeeze.

"I am. I have a very beautiful daughter."

"We have a very beautiful daughter," my mom said with a small smile. My eyes met hers and I smiled gratefully.

"Thanks," I mouthed the words to her. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me, too," she mouthed back. "I love you."

"You too, mom."

 _ **Edward Cullen**_

"That was awesome!" I said with a great big smile. I honestly felt like jumping up and down. It was invigorating. "I mean, some of the things I didn't understand what they are, but still! I see why that is so popular now!"

I had a feeling poor Bella was bored out of her mind, so I was chatting with Alice. Jasper was hanging back and talking to her, so I didn't feel so bad.

"Oh! I know! I used to watch it at least once a week when I was a kid. Who's your favorite character?" She bounced beside me.

"Um, I think Han Solo."

"Typical guy." She shook her head. "My favorite is Chewie. In the 'Star Wars' history," she used air quotes, which I just figured out earlier in the week, "it took an entire planet to take him out! I mean, _come on_! He was so awesome they had to throw a planet at him. Ewoks are my second favorite."

"You just like them because they're cute, fuzzy, and carry around pointy sticks!" Jasper yelled from behind us.

"What movie is that in?" I asked, confused.

"Return of the Jedi. Don't worry. When you get back from your honeymoon me and you will have a movie night. We'll watch all the Star Wars movies. It'll be awesome!" She bounced in place.

"Are you making a date with my husband?" Bella called from behind me. I chuckled at her teasing tone.

"Yup, I'm going to turn him into a nerd yet." Alice bounced in place, taking my hand. "Oh, Edward! I have so many movies I want to show you!"

Alice and I chatted about films the entire ride back to the hotel. By the time the ten-minute car ride was over, we already had a list of over fifteen and I had a feeling the list was going to keep growing.

I didn't want to get out of the limo. I didn't want to say goodnight to my bride. I wanted to sleep with my beautiful Bella in my arms. I already missed her body insanely, but I didn't want to miss her presence, too.

"Alright. Say goodnight, lover boy. We have plans for your girl," Rose said with a smile. Bella had a look of terror in her eyes. I knew she wouldn't enjoy the beauty regiments she was about to go through.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her deeply. "In less than twenty-four hours you will be mine and I will be yours."

"I'm already yours," she whispered back, her eyes half closed as she kissed me again.

"I love you. I'll see you at the altar, okay?" I brushed a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I love you, too." Bella smiled before she released me, her tiny fingers gliding against my sides. Even those simple movements sent chills through my system.

"Goodnight." I waved a little, sad to see her go. I realized all the men were by my side, watching us.

"Come on. Let's go inside before I change my mind and take you to see some naked woman," Emmett said as he pushed me forward.

Charlie and my father chuckled at my slight blush.

"You guys are perverts. The only woman I want to see just left."

"Good answer, Edward." Charlie patted my shoulder. "Come on, Carlisle. I think there's a baseball game on."

I rolled my eyes at my friends and family. It was going to be the longest night of my life.

 **Wanna see pictures of the real places taken by yours truly? Go to my Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth!**

 **If you enjoyed please alert and fave for more! Follow me on twitter too! Kinda_randompic!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I feel like I should apologize for the stupid mistakes. I read and edit these things over and over again and my grammar program keeps doing me dirty and randomly adding and taking stuff out, or changing it. (It has mood swings.) If you see anything that is an obvious typo please feel free to let me know (nicely) so I can fix it. Just send me the sentence so I can see where it is in a PM. Thanks in advance. I know you how it is.**

 **Anyway, Enjoy,**

 _ **Edward Cullen**_

It was one in the morning and I was staring at the ceiling. I was all alone, the parental units left about an hour before and Jasper and Emmett left soon after. They told me that they wanted to use this time _wisely_ which meant that they were going to the casino to drink free beer and play penny slots until four in the morning. That was fine, I wasn't in the mood for their company anyway.

I laid there, thinking about Bella. I had seen little flashes of her bare flesh, especially her gorgeous long legs and creamy thighs, but nothing like what I wanted to explore. Though I could see, and make out details of other people, I didn't always remember them. At times I would still look past my parents or friends. But Bella was different. Her face was burned pleasantly in my memory. I wanted her body to be the same way.

It had been a month since we had been together, the wonderful night before my surgery. It was so hard to keep my hands off of her. To have her so close yet but not be able to give in to my urges was starting to get to me. I was worried that because of my sight she wouldn't enjoy it as much. That I would do something differently from before and she would lose interest in me. I knew she was afraid of the same thing which was insane. Being able to see her could only add to my enjoyment. I already knew I loved her body, I didn't need a visual to prove that.

I reached over to the side table and grabbed my cell phone. _1:05 am_. I was going to lose my mind. I had to talk to Bella. I couldn't even live without her for five hours. I dialed the numbers quickly. I wondered how likely it would be that Alice will tell me off for bothering the bride.

"Hello?" Bella said excitedly.

"Hi there. Did I wake you?" I asked politely.

"I can't sleep," she sighed softly.

"Neither can I. I need to have you in my bed. So, I'm alone..." I trailed off, giving her the information to do with what she wished.

"Oh, really? Well, me too. Alice and Rose went to go gamble a bit."

I chuckled, "they left the babies home, I see."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I don't want to be alone. Why don't you meet me downstairs in ten minutes and we'll grab a snack?" She offered.

"That is one of the best ideas I've heard all night."

 _ **Bella Swan**_

I didn't bother getting dressed in anything fancier than my sleep pants and a tank top. My hair was in a messy bun. I slipped on a pair of flip-flops and put my wallet in my pocket. I examined myself in the mirror for a second before I decided that it was _'midnight snack couture_ '.

I rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet as I waited for the slow descent down. I wanted to be close to Edward again. I had grown very used to sleeping next to him every night already. I felt jumpy without him.

As the doors of the elevator cracked open, I was greeted with a wonderful sight. Edward was leaning against a marble pillar. He was wearing a white thin tank top and blue plaid sleep pants. He was even wearing black flip flops, like me.

"We match," I giggled as I walked up to him.

He didn't answer, but wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him. Edward pressed his lips to mine for a moment. His lips were sweet and minty from being freshly brushed. He smelled sweet, slightly musky, and his five o'clock shadow was visible against his light skin. I almost broke down and begged him to get a hotel room, a private one just for us.

"Edward," I breathed his name, running my nose along his jawline.

"Yes, my love?" His hand rested on my hips, gripping them tightly.

"I want you so before I take your pants off in the middle of this lobby and pleasure you in ways that make me excited just thinking about, we should get something to eat."

"I was thinking the same thing," he muttered, his eyes drifting down my body. One of his hands slipped an inch or so into my sleep pants.

"Edward?"

"Hm?" He hummed as his other hand glided over my stomach across the ribbed tank top.

"Food," I stated simply, trying my best to sound like I was chiding him. If he kept doing it, we would be in real trouble.

He sighed heavily, "if we must."

Edward took my hand. We walked silently towards the little twenty four hour diner that took up one corner of the bottom level. It wasn't an uncomfortable quiet in the least. Nothing had to be said. We were both happy and contented.

We sat on the same side of the booth. We leaned into each other, my head resting on his shoulder with our fingers intertwined. Neither of us was really actually hungry so we decided to share a turkey club and some fries. He knew it was my favorite.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Edward asked, leaning his head against mine.

"Only about falling down the stairs."

He chuckled as he kissed the top of my head. "I'll be there to catch you if you fall, I promise."

 _ **Edward Cullen**_

After two hours, a turkey sandwich with fries, and enough soda to keep anyone awake for days, I walked Bella back to her suite. It almost felt like a date. A perfect one.

"I enjoyed that," she said with a smile, leaning against the door as her warm brown eyes drifted over me. She was checking me out again and I loved it.

"Me, too." I wrapped my arms around her waist. I decided to be a dork and try to make her laugh. "Maybe we can go steady or something."

Bella giggled, leaning her head back against the door. "Yeah or _something_."

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Ms. Swan." I rested my forehead against hers.

"I certainly hope so."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, running my fingers over his jaw. "I love you with everything I have."

Before I could kiss her, Bella tilted her head up and began to kiss me. It was a very intense kiss, delicious and wonderful. I moaned into her mouth loudly, unable to help myself. I picked her up by the back of the thighs so she could wrap her legs around my waist. I pressed her firmly against the door, my hands resting on either side of her head.

"Oh god, I want you," Bella breathed as I attacked her neck with kisses.

I pressed my desire for her against the hot center of her thighs and she groaned, writhing against me. All I could think is, _I need her_ _ **now**_ _._

"You have two seconds to back away from the bride before I kick your ass," someone called loudly from behind me.

It was my turn to groan. Bella's legs unwrapped from around me and slid to the floor. My eyes bore into hers for a second before I laid one more quick kiss on her lips.

"I'll _see_ you tomorrow."

"Okay," she breathed softly, her skin a bright red. Bella was glorious.

"Goodnight, ladies." I walked passed Alice and Rosalie, smiling brightly. I was not sorry for being caught or for doing it in the first place. I enjoyed it and I know Bella did too.

"You guys suck!" I heard Bella mutter as she was pushed into the suite. I chuckled to myself. I couldn't agree more.

 _ **Bella Swan**_

"Guess who we caught making out last night?" Rosalie teased as she worked on my hair. Alice had already done my makeup.

"Shut up," I mumbled under my breath.

My mom and Esme had just arrived and were getting ready with us. We would have to leave in thirty minutes and it felt like time was crawling.

"Oh, really?" Esme raised a perfect eyebrow. "Can't stay away from each other for twelve hours?"

My mother rolled her eyes as she put her black shoes on. Her hair was done within an inch of its life and I absently wondered how long it would take her to wash it all out. There must have been a can of mousse and a whole thing of hairspray in it.

"Ah, to be young and in love," Renee mumbled.

"To be in love, period," Esme added wistfully. "It's wonderful, isn't it?"

"We've all been blessed it seems." Rosalie smiled. "There, I'm done!"

I looked at myself in the mirror. I was so glad that it was simple. Half of it was pulled up in a cute ponytail, the bottom curled into ringlets. My bangs were slightly curled, little wisps around my face. There was a white flower pinned into my hair, behind my ear. I almost started crying.

"It's perfect. Thank you."

"It's my pleasure." She pulled back to look at me. "I am so jealous of you. You are beautiful, Bella."

"Thanks." I blushed as I looked away.

"Come on. Let's get you into that dress and get this show on the road," my mother said brightly. I smiled at her gratefully. I could not take it if she was awful that day.

The dress was simple. It was short, cutting off right below my knees. It flared at my waist. The sleeves were nothing more than straps. It dipped slightly in the front, showing off a little of my chest. Esme bought me a silver heart necklace as a gift. I also wore the bracelet Edward gave me for my birthday. My mother let me borrow a pair of blue earrings. Everything was perfect. I slipped on my strappy heels and prayed to not fall on the way there.

Everything was already set up for the wedding. There wasn't much besides the food and cake. The only things I needed to bring was the bouquet and myself. I held both my mother and Esme's hand as I walked down the street, Alice carrying the flowers for me.

"Are you ready for this?" My mother asked, her hand resting on my cheek. We were standing just outside the doors to go inside.

"Yes, I am." I smiled at her, willing myself not to cry.

Everyone left me in peace for a moment. My father was not giving me away. I already belong to Edward, nor did I have bridesmaids or groomsmen. There was so few of us there, we did not need them. All the people we loved the most was there with us.

I heard soft music begin to play and I knew that was my cue. Before I pushed open the doors I wondered briefly where the music was coming from but decided to not give it much thought. I honestly hadn't even really thought about the music with so many other things going on. It was good to know that at least someone was on top of things.

I saw everyone standing around Edward and the Justice of the Peace as I walked down the stairs through the tropical plants and swirling mist, my hand on the railing to keep my balance. But, when my eyes locked with Edward's I saw no one else. He looked unbelievably handsome as he smiled a smile just for me. He was wearing black slacks and a white button-down shirt, a couple of the top buttons undone. I was so glad it wasn't a formal wedding. We were both so much more comfortable like this.

His perfect crooked smile spread over his lips as he adjusted his glasses, pushing them up his nose. I could feel my skin flush under her piercing gaze. Edward had never looked at me like that before, though to be fair, he hadn't been doing it for long. It had an amazing effect on me, making my stomach clench in joy and my heart thunder in my chest. I walked effortlessly towards Edward, the music fading into the background.

The ceremony went by in a blur. I don't remember much about the ceremony itself but from what both my mothers said, that was pretty common. All I could seem to remember was his gorgeous green eyes looking into mine then his shaking hand sliding the ring into place while small glistening tears rolled down both of our cheeks.

The reception was nothing more than dinner with a fancy dessert. We did pose for pictures, everyone having their own camera. They were our gift to our families, but on one condition: we got the memory cards in return so we can print the pictures out for everyone. Everyone thought it was a great idea and decided to film us in every possible position they could think of. Edward joyfully posed, his dislike of cameras completely gone for a moment when he saw the wonderful pictures it could produce.

We didn't smash wedding cake into each other's face, even if Emmett screamed for it. I took a small bite of the vanilla cake with buttercream frosting and Edward leaned forward to kiss the icing off the corner of my lips sweetly. The cake was delicious but he tasted better. When he ate it off my fingers all I could think about was what his wonderful mouth could do.

It was around nine o'clock when we got done. There was a limo waiting for us to take us back home. We would be leaving for our honeymoon in the morning. There was no place I wanted to be more than in our bed, completely alone with my brand new husband.

As soon as we slid into the car I crawled into Edward's lap. My fingers went to his hair as we kissed, my body grinding against his. I wanted him so badly it literally hurt, my thighs and stomach aching with desire. His hands explored my body over my clothing. We were going at it so heavily that we didn't even realize the car had stopped.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, we've arrived," the driver said as he knocked on the door to get our attention. I blushed a wild shade and Edward chuckled.

"Come on, _Mrs. Cullen_. We're home." He tugged on my hand as he stepped out of the car.

Edward unlocked the door and paused. Without a word, he scooped me into his arms.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I have to carry you over the threshold, don't I?" Edward asked innocently but his smile was sly.

I rolled my eyes, I couldn't help it. But, it was exactly what I wanted. I wanted to be in his arms, being loved by him. He had been cleared but I was still worried about his eyes.

"Be careful," I said with a soft sigh, my head on his shoulder. He nodded, kissing my cheek lightly.

Edward kicked the door shut behind him and carried me straight to our bedroom. The door was open already, no lights on.

"Close your eyes," he whispered in a soft tone. I opened my mouth to protest. "Please?"

I did as I was asked, shutting them securely. I felt the bed sag underneath me as he placed me down carefully. He moved away from me then.

"Can I open them now?"

"Just a second." There was a click and I could see the bright light, even through my eyelids. The bed sagged again as he maneuvered over me. He lifted me up and sat behind me, his legs on either side of mine. "Open them," he breathed against my neck as his arm wrapped around my stomach.

The bright room was filled with hundreds of roses of every possible color. In vases, in bowls, simply scattered about. I realized then how sweet the air really was and I was surprised I missed it. I was simply far more interested in him than anything else to notice.

"Oh, _Edward_."

"Do you like it?"

I simply nodded, not trusting myself to speak at that moment. I turned so that I was facing him on my knees, my hands resting on his shoulders.

"Earlier today Jasper and I went to a couple florist and bought them out... I wanted everything to be perfect." He brushed his fingers over my temple and down my jaw.

"It would have been perfect no matter what just because we would be together." I leaned in to kiss him.

His hand gripped the back of my neck as Edward kissed me passionately. Slowly he laid me back on the bed so that I was laying the wrong way, my feet by the pillows. He crawled over me, his knees on either side of my thighs. I realized that he was already missing his shoes.

"You are far more beautiful than I ever could have imagined," he whispered sensually as he kissed a trail from my lips to my shoulders. His hands tenderly grazed my arms, gliding over my elbows until finally reaching my shoulder.

 _ **Edward Cullen**_

I breathed in her scent deeply, letting it fill my lungs. I planned on memorizing every part of her body from the smallest freckle to her delicate scent. Bella lifted her shoulders a little off the bed, showing me how she wanted me to undress her, but I wasn't ready for that yet. I slid slowly down her body so that I was resting at her feet.

I closed my eyes, finding it easier to work the buckle of her shoe without my sight. Bella would have normally scolded me for doing so, but she was enjoying herself too much to fuss. Finally, the thing gave way and I let the shoe drop to the floor. The second soon followed. I brought her ankle up, gently rubbing her foot with both of my hands. I kissed the top of it lightly, my thumb grazing her ankle.

"This seems rather familiar, doesn't it?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" She asked softly, her brown eyes watching my every move.

"Do you remember our little _Spanish lesson_?"

Bella blushed, a reaction I enjoyed greatly. "I do remember." She bit her full bottom lip, sucking on it gently. "I enjoyed it."

"Me, too." I smiled at her. I lowered her ankle carefully. I sank a little lower, my lips barely above her knee. I looked straight in her eyes."Tu eres mi mundo," I whispered softly as my lips pressed against her flesh.

"What.. what does that mean?" She stuttered slightly.

"It means _you are my world_." This time I did not look at her as I moved my way up with kisses. I wanted to study her skin with my mouth.

Bella didn't say anything in return, but her breathing picked up as I pushed her dress up some. With my hands leading the way, I feasted my eyes on her. I thirstily drank all of her in.

I found myself fascinated with a small beauty mark on the inside of her inner thigh. I had to kiss it. I lowered my lips to the freckle, bringing her skin into my mouth as I suckled the spot gently. Her hips bucked upwards and my bride moaned softly.

"Edward, _please_..." she pleaded softly. I smiled to myself, continuing to cover his soft thigh in slow hot kisses.

"Yes, my love?" I switched to the other thigh.

"I want you so _so_ badly. Please."

I didn't give her an answer right away, but instead, I ran my nose over the apex of her thighs then lightly kissed her through her lacy white panties. Her hips bucked upward again, trying to get closer to my mouth. I licked her once slowly over the fabric.

Bella groaned softly as I moved away from her. "I am going to take my time. Be patient."

"It's hard to be patient when I've missed you so much." Her hands moved over my arms and up to my shoulders. She used her tiny fingers to massage them for a moment before slipping them down my chest.

I brought my lips to hers as she began to work the buttons on my shirt. I closed my eyes, enjoying the tickling sensation. When she was done I lifted onto my knees and took the shirt off, flinging it to the side.

Bella pulled herself from underneath me, crawling to the end of the bed before standing. Her hands went to her shoulders and she pushed the strings holding her dress up down her arms. The fabric fell to the floor with a soft swoosh. She stepped out of it, kicking it to the side. She was left in nothing but a strapless white bra and the lacy panties I had tasted earlier.

I went to the end of the bed, still on my knees. Our eyes locked as she closed the distance between us. It was hard not to pull them away to watch as her body moved without clothing. There would be plenty of time for that later though. I was still taller than her, even though she was standing. Our bare flesh touched and I felt like I was on fire.

My hands rested on her hips as we kissed wildly. It was hard to be slow when I could practically taste the arousal coming off of her. She moaned loudly against my mouth and that broke something in me. I needed Bella _now_ , studying and memorizing could be done afterward.

I picked her up by the waist and practically threw my wife down on the bed. I crawled over her body again. Her breathing was heavy and Bella's breasts were rising and falling from the effort. It was perhaps the most erotic thing I had seen so far.

Her hands worked on my pants as one of my hands went to Bella's bra. I pulled the cup down, exposing her flesh to the cool air. She was right when she said her lips were nearly the same color as her nipples. They were almost exactly the same shade of rosy pink. It was hard against my palm as I massaged the soft flesh. I lowered my mouth to it, suckling it eagerly.

Bella was still trying to work my button and finally got frustrated. I felt her hands grip on either side of the button and pull with quite a bit of force. The button popped off, pulling the zipper down with it. I growled at her eagerness, bringing more of her flesh into my mouth. She tugged the annoying fabric down partially with her hands, pulling my boxers down with them. The rest of the way she used her feet until finally until I kicked them off completely.

"You're wearing too many clothes," I told her as I nibbled on her ear.

She pushed me back a little bit and rose off the bed. With one hand she popped her bra off. It fell away from her body, exposing her breasts completely to me.

 _ **Bella Cullen**_

He looked absolutely hungry when he saw me completely topless. I had never felt sexier as I watched him react to different parts of my body. Next, I pushed my panties down my hips, rolling them down my thighs. Edward placed his hands on mine, finishing the job for me.

His beautiful green eyes watched my every move as I laid back, completely exposed to him.

"Perfect," he muttered. "You are _perfect._ "

He lowered himself down onto me, spreading my thighs wide with his knees. He was positioned where I wanted him the most, almost there, but not quite. I almost began to beg when he inched himself forward.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, taking in deep breaths. I missed him so much.

"Isabella, look at me," he commanded gently. "Open your eyes," Edward said for the second time that night.

I did as I was told and was repaid with a sexy little smirk. He was enjoying the power he had over me. He could abuse it all he wanted. I enjoyed it as well.

My hips met his with every thrust, my fingertips running up and down his back in encouragement. But our eyes always stayed locked onto one another's. It didn't take long before we were both breathing heavily and moaning loudly. My nails dug into his forearms as I became closer to falling over the edge.

He hissed loudly at the slight pain, his eyes shutting and his head lulling back. I felt him throb in me. I lifted up, my breast pressed flat against his chest. At first, I only covered his neck with kisses but then I began to nibble and then finally bite.

Edward groaned loudly. He wrapped one of his arms around my back, holding me up to him. His thrusts became more and more forceful, filling me completely with _him_. He pulled me back from his neck and he lowered his mouth to my breast again. He sucked and kissed me with such passion, making my thighs grow wetter with each pass of his tongue.

"Oh, _Edward_!" I screamed loudly as my body began to spasm. He lowered me back onto the bed, his arm unwrapping around me. Instead of stopping he hitched my leg around his hip, pumping into me faster.

My stomach coiled and snapped several times very quickly. I cried out in pleasure over and over again. My heart pounded in my chest and sweat covered my body, making me slick all over.

Finally, Edward began to shake with his own climax, his mouth hanging open slightly with a soundless moan. I could feel him throbbing in my overly sensitive body. He was blinking slowly as he tried to calm himself, finally closing his eyes when it was too much.

He slid beside me and rolled to his side. Instead of pulling me to his chest like I thought he would, he rolled me over so that I was spooned up against him. Edward pulled a blanket around us and finally took off his glasses, setting them on the side table.

One of his arms wound around my waist while the other played with my hair. I loved feeling him pressed against me like that, completely nude and slick with our mixed sweat. He pulled my hair away from my neck and lowered his lips to my ear. "I will love you until the end of time."

 **They got married! D'awww…**

 **If you enjoyed please fave and alert for more and you can follow me on Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth or Twitter- Kinda_randompic. Come say hi!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Bella**_

The light was starting to stream into the room when I awoke. I wasn't sure what time it was, but honestly, I didn't care. All I cared about was the extremely sexy, extremely aroused, man pressed against my back. His large smooth hands were resting on my hips, massaging them with his long fingers.

"Good morning," he whispered against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Yes, yes it is." I smiled and tried to roll over but he stopped me. His firm hands held me in place, pressed securely against him.

"Where do you think you're going?" He purred against my neck, his nose skimming along my jaw. I took in a deep shuddered breath as I started to become aroused myself. Actually, there was no becoming. I woke up… _excited_.

"Shouldn't we be getting ready for our honeymoon or something?" I asked, still not sure where we're going. It was a little frustrating. But, it was hard to concentrate with his hands touching me in that way.

"We have time, trust me. Besides, if you haven't noticed, I am already _ready_ for our honeymoon," he chuckled a bit in embarrassment. I didn't have to turn around to know he was blushing slightly.

I decided to tease him a little bit. I wiggled my backside against him and he groaned loudly, pressing against me harder. "I have noticed. What have you been thinking about that's got you so worked up?"

"I've been up for a little while. Well... You see...You were moaning my name in your sleep and I must say, some of the movements you were making were... _very_ sexy. I think I know what a stripper pole feels like now," Edward told me, one of his hands skimming the curve of my thigh.

I blushed scarlet and covered my face with my hands. He started to shake with laughter behind me, the action shaking me as well.

"Oh, no. I am so embarrassed," I mumbled through my hands.

"Why are you embarrassed? You turn me on in your sleep, that's how sexy you are." His hand went from my hips and tickled up my naked back. "I almost didn't wait for you to wake up to do something about it. That's the effect you have on me."

"That sounds like a very pleasant way to wake up..." I hummed to myself, moving my hands away from my face slowly. I looked over my shoulder to gaze into his handsome face. One of his eyebrows were raised and he had a smirk spread over his smooth lips.

"Oh, really? I'll have to remember that for later..." He moved my hair away from the back of my neck and began to assault the sensitive skin there.

"What are you doing?" I breathed, my head falling forward to give him better access.

"Do I really need to explain it to you? Wouldn't you rather me show you?" He smiled against my neck as he continued to kiss. I could feel the heat rising in my skin, my heartbeat increasing.

"We're not going to get anything done today if you keep that up," I tried to explain. I was sure we were traveling. I closed my eyes and tried to compose myself, but it did me no good while he continued his assault.

"And, what exactly are we supposed to be doing today?" One of his hands went from my shoulders down my back, over the curves of my hips until he reached my stomach. He stroked the soft mound of flesh right between my hip bones and below my belly button.

His movements made my stomach jump. Edward's hands glided down my skin and then pressed his fingers between my legs, massaging me with slow strokes. I adjusted my legs to give him better access, one of my knees lifting up some. He dipped his fingers further into me and he groaned loudly again when he felt how ready I was for him.

With one quick surprising movement, he pressed himself into me from behind, his fingers still stroking the bundle of nerves between my thighs. I cried out in surprise at the powerful sensation. " _Oh_!"

"Do you want me to stop?" Edward asked, making sure I was alright. His voice was strained and I could tell he didn't want to stop. Neither did I.

Instead of answering him I grabbed his other hand and placed it on one of my breasts. He squeezed it, running his thumb over my already erect nipple. His hips bucked against me, pressing further into me.

 _ **Edward**_

I woke up earlier than I would have liked to, but the reason was amazing. Bella was crying out my name, over and over again, as her hips ground against mine. With every shuddered movement she became louder. It didn't take much of an imagination to figure out what she was dreaming about.

Her sounds and movements would have been enough to turn me on completely, but when I saw the expression on her face... Her soft full lips opened in the shape of an O like that. Every once in a while she nibbled on her lip, running her tiny pink tongue over it. I was fascinated by the way that it glistened in the early morning light. _So this is what she looks like when she's enjoying herself_ , I thought to myself as I watched her with open curiosity.

Bella's own hands were moving over her body, touching herself in _certain_ places. I had to close my eyes to keep from forcing myself on her. I wanted to be inside of her. I wanted to make her dreams come true in every possible way, but I didn't feel right about doing it while she was asleep. But, the way her hands moved over her breasts and stomach was so tempting. I swallowed my desires back hard.

I gripped her hips, pressing her tightly to me. If I couldn't do all the things I wanted to, I would at least feel her skin against mine. She finally started to quiet down, much to my disappointment, but then she started to wake up.

Bella complained about getting ready for the honeymoon that she knew nothing about, but I could tell that wasn't really what was on her mind. Once her eyes opened I couldn't keep my hands off of her.

I could not suppress the shudder that racked my body as I slid into her from behind. The position was one we had not done before. I couldn't wait to find more ways to please her. With one hand on her breast and the other between her legs, I pressed into her firmly until I was filling her as completely as I could. With every pass, she became wetter just for me.

"Oh! _Yes_ ," she moaned. Her head fell back and rested against my shoulder. I lowered my mouth to her own shoulder and began to suckle the sweet skin there. "Harder," Bella nearly whispered. I think she was embarrassed by her request, but I found it completely sexy.

I worked every part harder and faster. I began to nibble on her skin and when she moaned loudly I bit down. She screamed out, her body throbbing against mine. Bella brought me with her, my body shaking as I panted.

I couldn't move for a minute. I buried my face in her neck, breathing in her scent deeply. She brought one of her hands up to my hair, stroking it gently. I was in Heaven at that moment and didn't want it to end.

"That... _you_... felt amazing." I breathed against her skin, my eyes still shut tightly.

"I've missed you so much," she whispered. Her hand buried in my hair, tugging me closer. She turned her head to the side and kissed me deeply.

"I've missed you, too. It was worth it though. Last night and this morning were...just..." I couldn't think of a word appropriate for how great it was. I simply kissed her again, deeply.

Bella smiled at me as she pulled away, her big brown eyes were gazing into my own. I didn't want to move from that spot, but we did have to get moving. She seemed to notice the change in my smile because she turned over slowly. Her leg hitched over my hip.

"Why don't we go take a shower, handsome?"

I grabbed her leg and pulled her on top of me. "Why don't we just stay like this?" She looked perfect completely nude and straddling me. She pouted a little bit and I sighed heavily. "Alright, let's get a shower."

 _ **Bella**_

 _Damn it, why do I always have to be the one that's blindfolded?_ I thought jokingly.

After a quick shower where we actually got clean, I dressed quickly. Edward came from behind, tying the black fabric over my eyes. I complained about the things I would need and how I wished I could have packed my own stuff but he said he took care of it all. And, if he forgot anything he would buy it for me, obviously. It was frustrating, to say the least.

When the car arrived to take us to the airport, I assumed anyway, Edward put something over my ears. I growled loudly, but I couldn't hear his response. I was sure it was amusing though. He helped me down the steps and into the car.

I wasn't sure how long we were in the car, but it didn't seem like a very long time. He helped me out of it again and led me inside. The air was cold against my skin, causing goosebumps. We would walk for a minute, then stop, walk again, then stop. I was getting very annoyed by that point. I knew I was at an airport, why was he going to such lengths to keep it a surprise?

Edward suddenly picked me up, his arm under my knees. I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Only a few seconds later I was laying down on something soft. I wanted to rip the blindfold and earmuffs from my head but Edward pinned my arms down. I hated surprises but this was nice.

He started to kiss down my chest to the little v of my shirt. My legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer to me. I almost began to beg, but I knew it would do me no good.

Finally, he removed the earmuffs.

"If you're a good girl, I'll take the blindfold off in a minute."

"Where are we at?" I asked in a sweet voice.

"You'll see in a minute. I want to talk to you about something first and I want you to listen." He nuzzled my neck gently, placing a soft kiss on my cheek. "Will you do that for me?"

"Of course I will," I assured him.

"When I tried to figure out the perfect honeymoon, I couldn't decide. I want to take you all around the world and spoil you. But, I need more time to plan it and I want to plan it with you. What I was hoping to do was have a second honeymoon next year. All next summer. Would you be okay with that?" He stroked the side of my face with his fingers gently as he leaned over me.

"You don't have to spoil me-"

"You said you'd be a good girl. Besides, it would be for me as well. Please, Bella. Let me do this." He nuzzled my neck again, covering it with light kisses.

"But, that would cost so-" I was cut off again, but this time with his mouth. He kissed me forcefully, shutting me up effectively. His hand grabbed the back my head, bringing me closer to him.

"You are my wife now and you will let me treat you like you should be treated. I want to give you things. Besides, just think about all the amazing stuff we could see in Europe. I could see things that I never imagined I could see. Please, Isabella?"

I didn't have to see to know he was pouting. I sighed heavily. I felt guilty for bringing up the cost. "Okay. I'd love to go to Europe anyway."

He kissed me again, this time I could feel the tugging of his smile against my lips. This kiss was slow, patiently sweet. His tongue massaged mine lovingly. I moaned against his mouth, my legs tightening around him. His hand went up to the blindfold and pulled it off, tossing it to the side.

I was too busy kissing him to notice where we were. His hands explored my stomach, pushing my shirt up slowly. When I finally needed to get air, I tilted my head back to give him access to my neck. I panted heavily, trying to focus my blurry eyesight.

"You're too good at this," I breathed.

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked, barely moving his lips up.

"Not at all. I just have no idea where we are."

He chuckled softly, "the Horseshoe, again. I got us the nicest suite they have. I figured a week all to ourselves sounded like a good idea. Besides, we've both lived here almost a year and really know nothing about Shreveport. I've got some things planned out for us to do." He leaned on his elbows, looking at me. His fingers played with my hair, twisting it in between his fingertips.

"I hope not too much. I have other things in mind that I'd like to do." I smiled at him playfully.

"Well, trust me, there are things I want to do that we can't do in public." He smiled in return. Edward leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine.

I could tell already that it was going to be a pleasant week.

 _ **Edward**_

After an hour in bed, we ordered something to eat. We both skipped breakfast and our stomachs were starting to grumble at us. I pulled on my jeans while Bella wrapped up in a sheet go to the bathroom when the food came.

"Good morning Mr. Cullen," the girl said with a small smile as she lifted the tops of the trays. Everything looked right, as much as I could tell, at least. I handed her a tip and she smiled brightly. "Is there anything else you need, sir?"

"We're good. Thank you," I dismissed her, locking the door behind her as she left.

"You know, no matter how long I've been around you, I never get used to women's reactions to you," Bella told me from the doorway, the sheet wrapped tightly around her. Her lovely brown hair was flowing down her shoulders, curling at the tips.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I poured her a cup of coffee.

She came over and took the mug from me, fixing the liquid just the way she liked it. "That smile she gave you. I think that the poor girl was going to faint."

I laughed, "why would she do that?"

"You answered the door without a shirt. Sweetheart, I know girls that would pay to lick stuff off your stomach." Bella rolled her eyes and shook her head.

I brought the food over to the table, shaking my head. "I highly doubt that."

"I would."

"You're biased," I replied back.

I sat down and she slid into my lap. I grabbed a piece of fruit from one of the plates and fed it to her. I could watch her eat all day. The little smile that she got when she tasted something she liked, the way she closed her eyes as she chewed. Anyone else and I wouldn't know, or even care really, but with her I wanted to learn her every expression. Well, mostly the happy ones.

"I may be biased, but I still would," she said after a minute. She swallowed her bite and leaned against me.

"Oh, and where are all these women that would pay me? I think that sounds like an interesting line of work," I teased.

She turned around and smacked my shoulder. "Only me. Mine."

"Oh!" I rubbed my arm like it actually hurt. "Yes, ma'am. I am only your slave."

Bella turned more in my lap, her eyebrow raised. "Really? Slave?"

"Yes, ma'am." I offered her a strawberry. She leaned forward and bit it, some of the juice running down her chin. Her tiny pink tongue licked along her lips and I groaned to myself. Food could wait.

I lowered her to the floor and pulled the sheet away from her body as I kissed her strawberry flavored lips. She was still completely nude underneath and my body instantly reacted to it. She blushed as I openly stared at her, even her stomach flushing red. She tried to pull the sheet back around her but I stopped her quickly.

"Never cover yourself. Please. You're too beautiful to cover up," I told her. She bit her lip, an action that drove me insane and flushed brighter.

I spread her legs a little bit with one of my blue jean covered knees, slowly working my way down her body with kisses. "What are you doing?" She asked for the second time that morning.

"I am your willing slave and I wish to make you feel good. Is there anything wrong with that?" I asked gently before kissing the dip of her belly button. With my words her legs spread further apart, her eyes closing as her head lolled back against the carpet. I grinned to myself as she gave herself over happily.

I moved lower until I kissed her thighs. Bella moaned softly, "Edward, you are such a tease."

"I'm not teasing," I told her as I licked along one of the silken folds of her leg. She hummed in pleasure, the sound vibrating throughout her body. I closed my eyes as I lowered my mouth to the wet apex of her thighs. "Teasing would be if I stopped and I have no intentions to. Besides, I'm enjoying myself."

 **Sometimes a staycation is the right vacation, amirite?**

 **If you enjoyed please fave and alert for more and you can follow me on Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth or Twitter- Kinda_randompic.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Bella**_

After being woken up in the most amazing way I laid on the bed, stretched out, my hand resting on my stomach. My eyes were closed and I was less than three seconds from falling back asleep. I felt great.

"You know, I never really understood the point behind porn. But, looking at you right now makes me wish I could take a picture of you," Edward said somewhere in front of me. I didn't bother to open my eyes, but I scoffed.

"I don't want to become a widow so soon after being married," I retorted.

Edward chuckled, "well, I figured you wouldn't, but a man can dream. I'll just have to keep you in the nude as often as possible."

"I think you're becoming more of a pervert," I teased him happily. I knew he was watching me so I had to taunt him further. I lifted one of my legs, bending it at the knee. I yawned softly, stretching my arms in front of me. I let one of my hands fall limply on my exposed thigh.

"You are a temptress, Isabella Cullen. And, as much as I want to show you how tempted I am, we have plans today," he said. Edward's voice was a little strained, much to my pleasure.

I finally looked up at him. He was standing in a pair of black swim trunks, shirtless. He was arranging a bag of stuff to take with us. I had not even noticed. I could blame him for the state I was in, even if I loved how I got there.

"Going up to the roof to swim?" I asked.

"Actually, there is this bayou lake thing out here someone said had a decent beach," he explained as he placed a bottle of sunscreen in the bag.

"So, did you bring something for me to swim in as well or do you want me to go like this?" I asked, waving my hand over my naked body.

"Honestly, like that." Edward grinned mischievously. He made his way to the bed and crawled over me. The fabric of the trucks felt odd against my skin. I smiled wickedly as I tugged at the band.

"Why don't you just take those off and we can both go like this." I slipped my hand inside his trunks, dragging my fingers along his thigh.

He slowly sat up, swatting my hands away playfully. "No, bad thing. I have something for you to wear." He pulled something from beside him. He dangled the blue... _something_... in front of me.

"Okay. Now, where's the rest of it?" I joked.

He rolled his eyes. "You're funny. Trust me, I could have gotten something a lot smaller. Alice was all for these little triangles that would have never covered your breasts."

"Well, I guess there are some small miracles." I snatched it away from him. He chuckled and leaned forward.

"Of course there are miracles. You're an angel. If you don't get a miracle now and then, who does?" He said in a charming way. Edward smiled crookedly and kissed the tip of my nose.

 _ **Edward**_

Bella looked devastatingly beautiful in the swimsuit. I wish she didn't have to put something over it to cover it, but I understood why she did. I watched her the entire ride to the lake. It was nice having a driver and being able to keep Bella's attention in the car. The ride didn't feel like it took very long to get there, even though it was at least a thirty-minute drive. That might have been because of the fierce make out session in the backseat. We both had missed each other over the past month and we were making up for it. Thank goodness for dividers with dark curtains.

"Mr. Cullen, we've arrived," the driver said after knocking on the door.

Bella blushed and looked down at her hands in embarrassment.

"We're married. We're supposed to be doing this. Besides, it's our honeymoon," I whispered in her ear. She lifted her face, a small smile on her lips.

"But, we're going at it like a couple of-"

"Teenagers?" I finished for her. She smiled a little and nodded. "I can't imagine why." I rolled my eyes as I opened the door for us.

I had never seen anything like the area we were in, though that wasn't saying much. Everything was different shades of dark brown, light tan, and vivid greens. I had reserved the private beach for the day, so we were all alone.

"Will you be needing anything else, sir?" The driver asked.

"No. Please return by three to pick us up. I will call if we need you sooner," I informed him politely. The driver nodded his head. I took the bag of things from the backseat before shutting the door.

Bella was walking ahead of me, her hips swaying slightly. "I didn't think this was what a bayou was supposed to look like," she commented.

"Apparently this is the lake that feeds into the bayou," I explained. It took me a while, but I did some research on things to do here. It was more frustrating than I would have wanted it to be, but I think it was worth it in the end.

I pulled out a towel and spread it over the sandy ground, placing the rest of our things on it. I watched as Bella stripped out of her cover-up, flinging it to the ground. She let her hair down, shaking it loose from its holder. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I needed to control myself. The beach was private, but not that _private_.

I busied myself with getting undress and taking off my glasses. I set them carefully on the towel so I could find them again, or at least Bella could if I could not.

I could see only about two feet in front of me without the glasses, which was far from perfect, but better than nothing. Bella tugged at my hand, dragging me towards the water.

We waded until the water was up to my chest. It was warm around my body and very relaxing. Bella wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. She dipped her head back, letting her hair skim the water.

We swam for a while, kissed for a while... and a little bit more under the water. We were sitting in the water, Bella in my lap while I kissed her shoulder.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you're changing color."

"Oh! I knew we forgot something. Sunblock." Bella dashed out of the water. I followed behind her. I watched as she rifled through the bag in search of the lotion. "Stop looking at my butt," she muttered without looking at me.

"Nope. No can do." I smiled playfully.

She turned around, an eyebrow raised. There was the most adorable smirk playing at her features. Bella had something in her hand I didn't recognize until there was a flash. She stuck her tongue out after she took my picture. She handed me the tube of lotion.

"Put some on my back and no funny business."

"I'll show you funny business..." I muttered as I threw the tube down. I grabbed the camera out of her hand, wrapping my other arm around her waist. She was laughing loudly, struggling to get away. I threw her to the ground playfully. Our legs tangled on her descent to the ground and she brought me with her. I caught myself, laying on top of her. I was laughing at that point as well.

I successfully grabbed the camera away from her and leaned up, straddling her waist. I started clicking it wildly, taking over a dozen pictures of Bella, who had her arms across her face as she giggled.

"I give up!" She half shouted, half laughed.

I tossed the camera to the side and leaned over her. She slowly moved her arms, smiling up at me. I lowered my lips to hers, kissing them lightly. One of her hands went up to my hair and played with it for a moment before brushing it out of my eyes.

"You are so beautiful," I whispered.

She slowly pushed me down onto my back and laid on top of me. She traced her lips over my jaw up to my ear as her hands slid down my chest. I could feel her grinning as she whispered softly, "catch me if you can."

Bella got up and darted towards the water.

"Hey!" I shouted as I went after her. She was already in the water. I stopped at the shoreline and realized I was stepping on something. I bent down to pick it up. It was cloth, slightly moist and blue. My smile grew as I realized what it was. I threw her top back to where our clothes were and ran into the water after my wife.

Hopefully, the beach was private enough.

 _ **Bella**_

"I don't want to go," I whined as I climbed into the big black car. I was slightly sunburned and I had sand in unnatural places, but I was having a great time.

Edward chuckled and leaned over to give me a little kiss. "Well, we can always come back. We've got plans for tonight and I'm rather excited about them," he informed me with a little smile.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope," he said with a little pop of his perfect lips. His smile was daring me to say something. I simply stuck my tongue out at him which made him laugh again.

"How about before the start of school we rent a cabin and stay the weekend?" He offered. He started to smile when he saw the grin creep across my face. I nodded my head and scooted closer to him. I laid my head on his firm shoulder, one of my arms wrapped around his waist.

I must have fallen asleep because soon Edward was kissing my bare shoulder. I lifted up, my eyes trying to focus.

"We there yet?" I asked in a yawn.

"Yup and there is someone waiting for you," he told me as the driver opened the door. Edward took the bag before I could and helped me out.

There was a young woman in a maroon business suit, a clipboard in her hand with a big smile. "Hello Mrs. Cullen, I'm Candice. If you come this way we can start your treatments."

"Treatments?" My voice full of horror and confusion. "Why do I need treatments?"

I heard Edward chuckle from behind me, "you are one of the smartest people I know, but you don't wake up that way."

I pushed his shoulder as he continued to laugh. Candice took it all in with a grin. "Your spa treatments, Mrs. Cullen. We have you down for a thirty-minute massage, a facial, and a style appointment."

"Oh..." I said softly. "I need a shower first," I complained.

"We have a state of the art five jet showers you are free to use," the girl said, the smile never leaving her face. "I also believe you have clothing waiting for you," she added quickly like she forgot something.

I turned to Edward with an eyebrows raised. "Where are we going tonight?"

"For me to know and for you to find out." He grinned smugly. Edward leaned over and pecked my cheek. "Have a good time. I'll see you in a couple hours."

I sighed, knowing I couldn't argue.

"Lead the way, Candice."

I have never had a shower like that before. The hot water washed away the grime of the lake, their sweet smelling shampoos and soaps soothing my senses. The water pounded against my slightly sore muscles. I didn't think I would need a massage after that, it was just as good.

I walked out of the shower in one of the fluffy white robes they provided for me. There was another woman waiting for me, a table set up in a dim room. "Hi, Mrs. Cullen. I'm Beth. Ready for your massage?"

I nodded slowly. The woman handed me a sheet to wrap up in, turning around to give me privacy. I climbed up on the table, not sure how to lay down.

"First massage?" She chuckled.

"Is it that obvious?" I sighed heavily.

"That's okay. Everyone has to start somewhere. Why don't you just lay down on your stomach?" I did as she told me to and closed my eyes. "Looks like you're a bit pink. Been out in the sun today?"

"Went to the lake with my husband," I said, smiling. "We put lotion on but we were out there a while."

"Going to the lake sounds nice," the woman said, starry-eyed. She shook her thought free, returning to the present. "Well, I have just the lotion that'll keep that from getting too itchy."

Thirty minutes was not long enough. I had a new best friend. If I could have kept her with me at all times, I would have. I wrapped in my robe again and went into another room. There were two people waiting for me this time. A short thin man with perfect hair and another girl who had a bucket of what looked like torture devices.

"Look at the natural beauty we get to work with! I think I might have to pay you for the honor." the man said teasingly, waving his arm around as if to point out my good looks.

I blushed brightly, looking down at the floor. "Thank you," I mumbled, embarrassed. I wondered how many times he said something like that a day.

"And, so modest. Well Ms. Modest, come sit down in my chair. I'm Matt, by the way." He waved in front of me, pointing at the chair. The girl never said a thing, but smiled.

I had never had a more pleasant experience getting my hair styled. By the time I was done, I had glossy nails and curly hair. My makeup was done so well that I think Alice would have been jealous. I dressed in the clothes that were waiting for me, no doubt picked out by both Edward and Alice, and turned to the mirror.

"Wow..." I breathed.

 _ **Edward**_

I showered, shaved, and dressed after a short nap. If Bella got to relax a little, so did I. Everything was arranged for the evening. Hopefully, it would go perfectly.

It felt strange looking at myself in the mirror. My skin was such a contrast to my clothing which was dark blues and blacks. My eyes reminded me of the pear tree in the backyard. I didn't know what to compare my hair to since it was like no else's that I knew, including my parents. Apparently, red-headed men were rather rare. I hadn't thought about it before.

I just slipped my shoes on and was about to gather my wallet when the door opened. I stopped what I was doing, including breathing. My jaw dropped at the sight of her.

When I gave a picture of Bella to the host of the casino who said they would take care of everything for that night, I never expected Bella to look like _that_. She was in a stunning silky shiny blue dress that fell straight to the floor. It hugged her body in exactly the right way. There was a slit on either side of the dress, almost all the way up to her hips. From her head to her toes she looked perfect. I could tell her makeup was different, I didn't know how but I knew it made me want to throw her on the bed. Maybe it was her full bright lips or her dark enticing eyes.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer," Bella teased, obviously a little embarrassed by my gawking. I couldn't help it.

"Would you hate me if I asked you if I could? I want to remember you like this until the day I die," I told her honestly.

She blushed brightly, biting her lip. I groaned to myself, hoping that she would say something soon or we would never leave the room that night. "Okay," she quietly, "if you want. But, I get to take a picture of you, too."

"Fair enough." I shrugged and smiled. I grabbed the camera quickly and took her picture. She did a little pose for me, putting her hand on her hip. As soon as the picture snapped she took the camera from my hand.

"Your turn," she said with a grin. Bella closed one eye as she tried to find the perfect shot. I wanted to blush and hide. I hated pictures of just myself but I loved how happy they made her. "Come on, smile," she fussed. I did what she said, trying to keep it from looking like a scowl. She rolled her eyes dramatically before taking the picture and handed the camera back to me. "I think we need to work on your picture posing skills."

"I've got other skills," I teased, letting my fingers glide over her stomach. It reminded me of the dress she wore on her birthday when we first met. It felt cool and smooth against my hand. I leaned over and kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear. "We better go or we'll never get out of here."

Bella blushed beautifully and nodded, taking my hand. "So, where are we going?"

"You'll see. It's not far," I promised her. I could tell she hated when I evaded her questions but I was having too much fun.

 _ **Bella**_

I sat comfortably in his arms the entire ride. It was a short one, too short for my taste. He looked amazing in his black slacks, blue button down, and black blazer. The top buttons of his shirts were undone, exposing a little of his smooth chest to me. I let my fingertips move over his skin, enjoying the warmth.

"You have no idea what that does to me," Edward said with a heavy sigh.

"Why don't you show me?" I whispered huskily in his ear.

"Why, Mrs. Cullen, I think you're trying to seduce me," he teased.

"Am I succeeding?" I asked.

"Mm-hmm," he hummed as he leaned forward to give me a gentle kiss.

The car picked that time to stop, much to my annoyance. Edward gave me a sad little smile. "Don't worry. I think you'll enjoy tonight. Besides..." He stopped, his hand touching my cheek. "The longer we wait, the better it will be," he whispered the last part, causing me to shiver.

"I don't want to wait..." I breathed, my eyes shutting without my permission.

"I know. Neither do I, but we're here," he said softly, his nose tracing my jaw. The driver knocked on the door and he smiled again slightly. "Come on."

I nodded, not trusting myself not to whine. I had seen the building we were at before, but just in passing. I realized it was by the river on the Shreveport side. I could see our hotel just on the other side of the bridge. Nicely dressed people were filing into the well-lit building. I walked arm in arm with Edward, looking around for a clue of what we were about to do.

"We're going to the symphony?" I asked when I finally saw the sign.

"Is that alright?" He asked, his face concerned.

"Oh! It's fantastic." I smiled at him. Edward grinned back, his crooked smile making my heart melt.

"I was kind of worried that this would just be for me, but you always seem to like when I play for you. Are you sure you don't mind?" He asked again.

I stopped, placing my hands on his cheeks. I kissed his forehead lightly. "I am sure."

I had to admit I didn't actually watch the orchestra play. I listened, but my eyes were trained on Edward. He closed his eyes, his head lolled back slightly as he let the music flow over him. Every once in a while I would notice his fingers twitching as he played along in his head. It was amazing to watch.

"What did you think?" He asked as we came up to our room after the show.

"Lovely. Very relaxing," I told him honestly. The whole day had been relaxing. The laughing, the pampering, the music. I only needed two more things to make the night perfect. Dinner and Edward. I opened my mouth to say I was hungry, but I stopped when he opened the door.

Inside the room was a cart. Two silver domes and a bucket with something chilling inside of it laid waiting for us. In the center was a vase with a red rose.

"I hope you don't mind. I figured we'd both be hungry by the time we got back."

"Must you be so perfect?" I turned, my arms wrapping around his neck. He kicked the door shut with his foot.

"I'm not perfect. I just know what you like." His grin was cocky and his eyes were sparkling. I decided right then that we could eat later.

"That's true... you do know what I like," I said softly, backing away from him. I moved the straps of my dress down my shoulders and let them fall to the floor. I stepped out of it, kicking it to the side. I was only clad in my black heels, black panties, and a black lace bra. I decided to try to play cool, even though I was having a hard time not noticing the hungry expression on his face. I walked over to our meal, lifting one of the silver domes up. "So, what's for dinner?" I asked.

I felt Edward's arms snake around me, his lips pressed against my ear. " _You._ "

 **Cypress Black Bayou is a real place. Pictures on my Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth.**

 **Fave and alert for more from me and you can also follow me on twitter- Kinda_randompic!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Edward**_

I relaxed in our huge extremely comfortable hotel bed. I was so cozy I didn't want to move at all. Bella's lean naked body was pressed to mine, our legs intertwined. She was molded to me completely, her hand resting on my bare stomach. I kept my eyes closed for a long time, simply enjoying the warm sensation. I hated the fact that we had to get up. But, I had more plans for that day, some that I think both Bella and I would really enjoy.

The day before was such a nice day. The first busy day of our honeymoon was blissfully full so I decided to make the next one a bit quieter. Those days with Bella were always the best. She never liked being rushed. Well, she didn't like most things rushed. Our wedding was a happy exception.

We walked through the local rose garden. The sun was shining, the sky was an amazing light blue. The garden was hidden off in the middle of a forest it would seem, tall pines overshadowing us. The paths led all around the place. It was a mile, if not more.

I made Bella pose for pictures, much to her displeasure. She just looked too beautiful amongst the brightly colored roses not to. She complained that I was going to take a thousand pictures of her by the end of this 'trip'. I saw nothing wrong with that. In fact, that made me extremely happy. I could see and I wanted to look at beautiful things. And, she was beyond beautiful.

After a quiet lunch, we bunked down in our hotel room for the rest of the day with too much junk food and watched movies. After four films, half of which we didn't really watch because of our making out, we finally went to bed.

I was dreaming so much more than before. Usually, just flashes of color and light but I dreamed about Bella as well. Even in my dreams, I knew the reality was far better though. I dreamed of her kissing me, smiling down at me while her hair tickled the sides of my face. She declared her love for me, an adoring smile spreading over her full lips.

As I laid in bed pressed to my beloved I couldn't help but wonder why I planned another full day. I knew it would be fun, I just didn't want to leave the comfort of her arms, even for a second. I should have just left more days open to laze about, like the day before. That was not a mistake I was going to make on our next honeymoon. Every other day would be dedicated to staying in bed and wearing as little as possible.

I stroked my fingers down her spine, my other hand brushing the hair away from her face. "Mrs. Cullen, it's time to get up," I whispered against her ear.

"Too early," she muttered as she snuggled closer. Bella didn't even open her eyes, but she was pouting.

"It's ten in the morning," I chuckled. "Do you want to sleep all day?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, not that it mattered. She seemed to be refusing to open her eyes at that moment. I hated not being able to see her eyes when she was awake.

"I wanna sleep," she complained softly, still not moving. Bella buried her face into my chest, her hands trying to find something to purchase onto like she was about to be ripped from the bed.

"We can come back and take a nap in the afternoon," I promised, trying not to laugh again. I couldn't help but enjoy the idea of coming back for a nap. Any time to get Bella into bed, sex or not, was something I liked.

 _ **Bella**_

I whined like a little kid. I was a bit sore and a little stiff, my body protesting any movement at all. I think the combination of all the _activities_ were finally starting to get to me. I needed some good aspirin, a big bottle of water, and to sleep all day.

Edward made me a pot of strong coffee, allowing me to lay in bed a bit longer. I watched as he moved about the room in his green plaid boxers. I smiled, watching him walk about and get things ready for the day. For some reason, I couldn't stop watching him. He was always so graceful in his movements. It was almost hypnotic.

I sat up slowly, my back cracking rather loudly when he brought me my drink. The sheet was wrapped tightly around my bare chest. I grimaced slightly in pain. Edward looked me over, concerned, but didn't say anything which I was grateful for. I didn't want him to baby me. I was sure I would feel fine after a while anyway.

"So, what's on the roster today, Mr. Cullen?" I asked as I took a sip of the hot liquid, trying to act like it didn't sound like my back just broke.

"It's a surprise," he said with a crooked smile, his bright eyes sparkling. Edward looked obviously pleased with himself.

"You're impossible," I complained but I was smiling myself.

"Just dress comfortably and you'll be fine." He pressed a quick kiss to my nose. I couldn't help but smirk. The day was going to prove to be interesting, to say the least. I could tell already.

 _ **Edward**_

"A children's museum?" She asked, laughing. Her arm was wrapped around mine, hanging onto me as we stood in the rather short line.

I pouted a little bit. "Sci-port just isn't for kids." Or, at least that's what the website said. It was a science museum with hands-on experience and exhibits. I went to these kinds of places when I was younger, but it was different now that I could see. I would be able to enjoy it more.

"Ah huh," she teased as we moved up the line to buy our tickets. Bella rested her head against my shoulder to show she wasn't serious. Her silky brown hair tickled my neck.

"It's got a planetarium, and an I-max, plus it's-" I defended myself, continuing to pout.

She cut me off, placing her tiny hand against my mouth. Bella grinned at me, her eyes looking straight into mine. "I didn't say it wouldn't be fun. I just think it's funny is all. Come on. It's our turn." She nodded towards the front. There was a large red counter ahead of us, a woman standing behind it with a large smile.

I bought our tickets, including some for the I-max theater. We were going to see one about the mummies in Egypt. I had heard interesting things about I-max movies before so I was excited. It was hard to pick. There were a few to choose from. The one based in Egypt, one about the great white shark, another called Hurricane on the Bayou, about Hurricane Katrina, which was too sad for my tastes, and finally one about space travel. Being a guy, I would have loved to see three out of the four, but I think the Egyptian one was the most appealing to Bella. We could always come back another time to see the others.

We toured the place slowly, Bella allowing me all the time I needed to examine everything. It was very hands on and I was having too much fun messing with the displays. I was glad that we were not the only adults in the place without kids, though there were tons of those about. It was almost as fun to see their reactions. I think the pendulum that kept time perfectly based on the rotations of the earth was my favorite thing to see. I think Jasper would have enjoyed it as well. We would have to come with the whole gang some day.

Finally, we went into the planetarium. The giant orange glowing moon greeting us before walking in. It was totally dark, pitch black to the point where you couldn't see an inch in front of you and I could tell Bella was uncomfortable. I felt right at home. I took her small hand and led her right to the center of the large room, or at least it seemed large from what I could tell. I closed my eyes as I walked forward, not needing my sight for a moment. I finally picked a spot for us so we could sit. You were supposed to lay back on the floor so you could look at the different constellations on the ceiling, not that I knew what any of them were _yet._

I sat back slowly, taking Bella with me. Her head rested against my chest, one of our hands clasped together. We were completely alone, much to my surprise. Perhaps the children were uncomfortable in the dark too, like Bella. I guess not everyone was used to it. It was nice to get a respite from the crowd though.

"This is nice. Now all I need is a pillow and a blanket, then I'd be set." Bella laughed as she snuggled closer to me.

"You can use me as a pillow," I told her as I stroked her hair. _She_ _could_ _use_ _me anyway she wished_ , I thought to myself. Oddly, the thought was not entirely sexual, either. _Entirely._

"The pillow is for you. I want my _pillow_ to be comfortable." I didn't have to look at her right then to know she was smiling. Bella was teasing me.

I brought my hands to her side and tickled gently. She squirmed against me, giggling. The sound was musical and lifted my heart to new heights. _This is how life is supposed to be_.

"Stop," she half pleaded, half laughed. Bella was completely breathless. I did what she asked as soon as the word left her mouth. I rested my hand on her hip, holding her close to me.

"You are more beautiful than the stars," I told her before I pressed my lips to her forehead, letting them linger on her soft flesh.

I felt the heat rise in her skin and smiled when she didn't object right away. Instead, she whispered. "I love you."

"And, I love you," I said in return as I kissed her again, this time placing a light kiss on her jaw. I laid back beside her, pulling her snug to me. "Tell me what everything is, Mrs. Cullen."

After a long time, she came to her feet and offered me her tiny hand to help me up. "Come on, Mr. Cullen. We need to get our seats for the movie now or we're going to miss it."

 _ **Bella**_

Like Edward, I had never seen a movie in I-max before so it was new for both of us. It was supposed to be totally different from regular movies somehow. The experience was supposed to be _moving_.

Boy, and were they right.

I had never been so dizzy in my life and Edward just sat there, fascinated. _Lucky._ Motion sickness was starting to get the better of me as my stomach rolled. I closed my eyes, willing it away. It didn't seem to work though. My stomach gurgled loudly. Edward looked at me, concern coloring his perfect face. He pursed his lips in question, nodding his head towards the door. I shook my head. I figured I could at least make it through the rest of the movie, especially since I planned to keep my eyes closed from then on.

A few minutes passed and it didn't seem to be getting any better. One of my arms wrapped around my stomach, willing it to behave. Even the sound was getting to me, my head thumping with pain. _Why am I reacting like this?_ I felt something tug at my arm and I looked up. Edward was standing, pulling me to my feet. He was smiling at me apologetically. I felt horrible.

"At least we didn't see the one about the fish," he said, trying to be comforting as I slouched against him as we made our way back to the car. I felt like such a baby. It was embarrassing. He was right though. Seeing one about slimy sea creatures feasting on chum probably wouldn't have helped anything.

It wasn't a five-minute ride from the museum to our hotel and soon I found myself being carried to bed. I'm not entirely sure how I got there exactly from the car, but I was grateful.

"You would do anything to get a nap," Edward teased, still trying to make me feel better since comforting wasn't working.

"I'm not that bad," I whined, pouting.

"It's alright, you know. I did promise you one." He smiled as he sat beside me.

"Join me," I asked in a small voice, my mouth forming into a little pout. Having him close to me always seemed to make me feel better.

He pretended to think about it for a moment. "I don't know... climb into bed with a beautiful woman? That's a lot to ask from a man."

I pretended to pout again and began to roll over, turning my back towards him. Edward caught my arm and gave me a light kiss on the cheek. He then proceeded to crawl completely under the blankets so that they were covering his entire body. He never seemed to stop surprising me.

"What are you doing?" I asked, playfully smacking the blanket covered lump. I was pretty sure I hit his backside. I was at least sure it wasn't his head.

The mound did something that could only be described as a wiggle, making me laugh.

"You still have your shoes on, silly girl," the muffled voice of my husband said.

I felt the tugging at my feet as he removed them. He massaged each one of my sock covered feet for a moment before crawling towards the headboard.

He popped his head out, his glasses askew and his hair everywhere. Well, at least more so than usual. He had the most beautiful crooked smile on his face, making my heart melt. I carefully removed his glasses and put them on one of the bedside tables. I then ran my fingers through his silky hair.

"So handsome," I whispered.

Edward rolled beside me, careful of my stomach, and tugged me closer to him. I laid my head on his firm shoulder, completely comfortable as I snuggled up closer to him. He smelled sweet, like spiced tea and something else I couldn't put my finger on. I buried my nose in his chest, taking in a huge breath as I unashamedly sniffed my husband. It was a smell that could only be described as _Edward_.

We were silent for a long time, both of us simply comfortable being together. Edward was the first to break the silence.

"I never would have thought it would be like this."

"Like what?" I asked, looking up at his serene face.

"This... _Happy_. I never thought I would ever be this happy," he stated slowly, thinking over his words carefully.

"Having sight, you mean?" I looked at him. "Or, marriage?"

"Yes and no to both. Just being with you would be enough, though. And I think even if I were still blind as a damn bat I would still be this happy. Though being able to see you now does add a whole new layer to it," Edward explained.

"Can I ask you something?" I bit my lip as I considered my words.

"You know you can ask me anything, Isabella," he ran his finger over my jaw sweetly.

"Would you still have asked me to marry you if the surgery didn't work?" I asked gently. I would have said yes if it went either way, I was sure he had to know that. I hoped he wouldn't be offended by the question, but I was curious. "I mean, I know you weren't planning it but- You know, I don't know what I'm asking. Nevermind."

"That day if it didn't work? No, probably not. I don't know. But it would have been soon. Maybe on your birthday." He shrugged after a minute.

"I would have said yes," I informed him with a little smile. "That would have been a great day to ask. The anniversary of the first time we made love. But now we can send my birthday as husband and wife which is even better."

"I couldn't agree more," he said with a small smile, his sparkling green eyes looking into mine. "I know you would have said yes. That's part of the reason I wanted to marry you in the first place. You would have said yes no matter what. But, it did work and I was lucky enough to have the first person I saw be the love of my life."

 _ **Edward**_

Bella finally fell asleep in my arms, her body pressed tightly to mine. Her tiny fingers fisted my tee shirt, her legs twisted with mine. Her face was buried into my chest still, taking in deep even breaths. I could feel her heartbeat she was pressed so close to my side.

I loved watching her sleep. It was a rare time that I could stare at her and not worry about embarrassing her. I liked to study her face, committing it to memory. I wanted that image ingrained in my head just in case my sight didn't last for whatever reason.

I would never tell her my fears of becoming blind again. She didn't need to worry about that or me. It was always a possibility, though the doctor said the surgery was successful.

I ran my fingertips over her pink cheeks and over her slightly parted lips. They were my favorite feature on her, though it was hard to pick. They were all so amazing. I was not sure what they reminded me of yet, though I was sure I could find something to compare them to eventually, even if it would be an inadequate way to describe her beauty.

Her face was composed of colors I only knew because of her. Pink, peach, white, red, and brown. Her eyes fascinated me the most, but I could only look into those when she was awake. A deep brown, Bella compared them to chocolate but I think she was wrong. Chocolate, like most browns, seemed dull and lifeless. Her eyes were different though. I didn't know how to describe them and that frustrated me to no end. They were more than sparkling, they were the only eyes I wanted to look into.

I should have woken her up, but she was so peaceful. I had tickets to a comedy show that night, but this was better. Besides, I had a busy day planned for the next day as well, so relaxing seemed like a good idea.

So, I held her fragile sweet-scented body to mine, enjoying the peacefulness of it all. I buried my nose in her brown hair, so I could breathe her in before I closed my eyes. I finally let sleep overtake me.

 **Sciport is real! And so is the Rose Center. Rose Center pictures area on my facebook- Jeska Elizabeth!**

 **If you enjoyed please fave and alert for more! Also, reviews are mana.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Bella**_

"Yay! We're actually going to a zoo?" I exclaimed. It had been years since I had been to one. I had always enjoyed going to them as a little girl. Though I had never really been a pet person, the larger animals fascinated me.

"And you made fun of me because of Sci-port?" He laughed.

"I didn't make fun of _you_. I made fun of how excited you were." I tried to defend myself, sticking my chin in the air. I could tell I wasn't doing a very good job at it though.

"And, the difference is?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"Um, I guess there isn't one. Okay, go ahead and make fun of me. I have it coming," I said with a heavy sigh, pouting a little bit.

He mimicked my expression and then smiled brightly, making me giggle. He leaned down and capture my lips for a moment, stroking my hair sweetly.

"I won't make fun of you. You're too cute to make fun of. Besides, I'm excited, too."

I laid across Edward's lap in the car as it barreled down the highway. We were making a mini road trip into Texas to the zoo in Tyler. It wasn't a small zoo, but it wasn't nearly as big as the ones in Fort Worth or Dallas. It was closer though, only an hour and a half from Shreveport. Edward wasn't sure if I wanted to stay the night in Dallas, so he decided the day trip was easier. We could have to make a weekend trip there soon.

I wasn't tired anymore, quite the opposite. I was completely rejuvenated and relaxed. Edward let me sleep a lot longer than I expected the day before. Whatever he had planned for the night had been changed and instead, we spent another relaxing night in the hotel room. When I woke up dinner had been ordered and a bath drawn for me. I complained that he didn't have to but he just carried me to water after stripping off my clothes. I was much too spoiled. He was spoiling me. I loved it.

He sat on the white tile floor of the bathroom, his arms resting across the edge of the tub as he watched me until the food came. He gently washed my back with a soft white cloth, dragging it over my skin. I couldn't help but close my eyes and relax into the sweet treatment. When I opened my eyes Edward was staring at me. If he didn't look at me so lovingly I would have been embarrassed. It was almost like he was caressing me with his eyes. It would be something I had to get used to. Though, it only seemed fair. I had almost a year to do the same to him.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, pulling me from my thoughts in the car. He looked concerned, a crease in his usually smooth forehead.

"Just how much I love you and how happy I am," I summed it up for him. He smiled serenely and lightly kissed my cheek, bending over to do so. I snuggled up closer to him, my face resting against his lower stomach. I ran my nose across it, lifting his shirt up some. I licked and kissed his abs, causing him to shiver and squirm.

"That tickles," he said with a laugh. Edward playfully covered my head with his shirt, effectively smashing my face up his skin. Which wasn't good for him. I blew a raspberry on his stomach, grinning the entire time. I felt like a little kid, completely happy and with nothing wrong in the world.

"We're almost there, my love," Edward informed me with a soft laugh. He lifted his shirt to look at me, his eyes twinkling with mischief. Lightly he tickled my sides, lifting my shirt up some.

I couldn't believe we had been in the car for so long. It hardly seemed like it. Time simply flew when I was around Edward. Only he could have that effect on me and I hoped that he continued to make me feel that way until the end of time.

 _ **Edward**_

After we paid for our tickets we started to wander through the zoo. The first things we came across was something bright... _pink_? I suppose that's what the color they were. They were some sort of birds, dozens of them standing in water or on the small island around them. I looked at the sign. Flamingos. _Oh, that makes sense._

"I love zoos," Bella smiled, taking my hand as she came to stand beside me. She leaned against the railing, looking over the edge at the birds. She was on her tiptoes, craning her neck. I smiled, thinking how cute she looked.

"I've never really been to anything more than a petting zoo before," I admitted as we moved onto the next exhibit. I liked this one more. They were small and furry. They had long tails and cute little hands. They reminded me of humans. They were some type of monkey. I snapped a picture of them on their little tree-covered island. I finally read the sign: Spider Monkeys.

"Oh," Bella whispered. I could tell she didn't know what to say next. It was simply such a common childhood experience to her. I felt bad for making her uncomfortable. Even when I could see my blindness was affecting parts of our lives. I think it always would though. I bit my lip, trying to think of a way to make her comfortable again.

"When I was nine," I started, smiling at the memory, "I went to a birthday party for a friend and he had a petting zoo there. I was petting something, a lamb or something along those lines, and I was kind of bent over. I guess I was a good target because I got rammed in the ass by a goat. I flew forward and hit a wooden fence. My dad was laughing so hard he had trouble helping me up. I could tell my mom was _trying_ to chide him but she was having trouble not laughing too." I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck, "I didn't think it was funny at the time, but now it's hilarious. I was fine, of course. Just stunned."

Bella's lips were pursed together and I could tell she was trying not to laugh by the tone of her voice, "oh, you poor thing." A smile slipped through. She cleared her throat, licking her lips. Amusement was dancing in her eyes.

"Go ahead and let it out. I know you want to." I raised one eyebrow, waiting for the comments. We were walking down a long walkway surrounded by trees. At least we were alone when I was telling her about this. Though, I was sure the many kids around would think it was funny too.

"I promise I'll protect your ass from the evil pygmy goats," she laughed a little quietly. She pushed me gently, giving me a sweet smile.

Bella stopped in front of a glass front. Inside was some sort of big cat. It was slim with spots. It was lounging lazily in the sun. It looked pretty comfortable. It was a cheetah.

I snorted, "you better. You're the one that's going to kiss it and make it better if anything happens to it."

I snapped a picture of the cat and then of Bella. She stuck her tongue out of me, scrunching up her nose. I stuck my tongue back out at her.

She threw her head back, laughing at our childishness. One of her hands ran down my back, gripping the part of my body we were just talking about. I squeaked, a very unmanly sound, out of surprise.

"Aw, I promise to kiss it and make it all better," she said in her best baby voice.

I swatted her backside, half chasing her down the stone path towards the next exhibit. "You think you are so funny."

"I don't think, I _know_ ," she said with a bright sarcastic smile. She stopped again, looking at some sort of animal I couldn't even figure out. I was too busy looking at her. She turned towards me, a smirk still playing at her lips. Bella winked at me playfully when she realized I was just checking her out.

I laughed, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind. I lightly kissed the side of her neck then rested my chin on her shoulder. I was having so much fun. It didn't matter where we were, just the company was enough. As long as Bella was around, I would be happy.

 _ **Bella**_

I think Edward was having more fun seeing the kids reactions to the animals than looking at the creatures himself. He did take a lot of pictures of everything though, including dozens of me. He would linger towards the back, watching the children press themselves up to the glass to get a closer look. I could hear him chuckling every once in a while at their reactions.

"What's your favorite animal so far?" I asked.

"The Jaguar. Actually any of the large cats," he said with a shrug.

That didn't surprise me at all. The black jaguar had the biggest reaction to the children. It was sleeping towards the front of the glass when we came by. We were going to move on when a daycare group of kids between the ages of three and ten showed up. Edward stopped me, placing his hand on my shoulder. He nodded his head up to the front and smiled. Most of the kids had their face shoved up to the glass. The cat noticed, waking up and stretching out. One of the kids made a fast movement, one of the younger ones. He clapped his hands, jumping up and down. You could see the excitement in the cat's eyes as his tail twitched. He leaped forward causing the entire class, including the teacher, to squeal in surprise.

We were getting lunch at the little cafe that overlooked the 'African Savannah'. Edward ordered a hamburger and I ordered a hot dog, deciding to share some fries and a drink. We grabbed a table overlooking the very edge. There were half a dozen giraffes and several elephants amongst the sandy dirt and high grass. It was quite beautiful. The yellows and browns of the grass actually somewhat reminded me of Phoenix. It made me miss home. We would have to visit there one day as well. Our travel list was growing.

I nibbled on a fry as I thought. My life was so different from a year before. How different would things be a year from _this_ exact moment? It felt as if things were moving too fast. I also had a sudden need to write. I wanted to write down everything that had happened to me and to Edward. I wanted to share it with our children one day. I didn't want to forget a single detail. My fingers twitched with the things I wanted to write down. It would have to wait though. As soon as we got back from our honeymoon, or at least got back to the house, I would have to start.

"So quiet," Edward mused. "I wish I could know what you're thinking. Before the silence was frustrating, but now that I can see your face it's confusing. You don't seem sad. I don't know how to describe it."

"I'm... _pensive_ , I suppose." I shrugged my shoulders. I took a sip of our soda that we were sharing. I wasn't sure how to explain my thoughts, or if I was ready to talk about them. It was kind of a revelation for me. I was glad he didn't push it.

I took his hand and brought it to my lips. I kissed his wedding band lightly, letting my lips linger on the cool metal. "Just to make sure... Are you happy?" He inquired as his fingers laced with mine, pulling my hand towards his mouth. He kissed my wedding band in return.

I simply nodded and smiled. I did not want my voice to crack and my eyes to fill with tears at the answer. I didn't want to scare Edward, or any of the kids for that matter, by crying in the middle of the zoo. I bit my lip and looked down, catching a peek at him through my eyelashes. He smiled at me, his eyes sparkling with love.

 _ **Edward**_

Bella fell asleep about twenty minutes before we got home. It had been a long day of walking around the zoo and exploring the many specialty shops around Tyler. I was surprised at the selection that they had. It was no Chicago, but it had more than Shreveport. Which was surprising since Shreveport/Bossier was at least twice the size of the city.

Bella complained about how much I spent on her, but I was having a lot of fun. I bought her several pieces of clothing, and handmade jewelry, along with some books from a bookstore that specializes in older books. I actually bought some things for myself as well. My first pieces of clothing I bought without someone else picking them out. I still had Bella's opinion though but she was the only one that mattered. I still wanted to get more clothing. Maybe actually get some sort of my own style, but I knew that would take a while.

I carried her limp body to the familiar elevators. It was amazing that no one really seemed to mind. I even got some smiles from older couples. I guess they could see the love on my face, the love I had for my lovely little wife. Careful not to wake her, I pressed the button to our floor. The motion still jarred Bella awake though. She took a deep breath, running her hand over her face.

"Where are we?" She asked, her eyes barely open.

"We're almost to our room," I told her quietly, holding her tightly to me. I was just as ready as her to crawl into bed, her still in my arms.

"Oh, I can walk," she said groggily. Bella yawned softly, her eyelashes fluttering as she as her face stretched in the cute little _o_ shape. I didn't want to let her go.

"I just want to hold you in my arms. Is that okay?" I smiled down at her. She was beautiful and she was mine. I was still having trouble getting over that little fact. I was the luckiest man in the world. I would never want to let her go, even for a minute.

She smiled back and wrapped her thin arms around my neck. "You know, you make me feel like Lois Lane when you carry me like this," she teased as she rested her head on my shoulder.

"Would that make me your Superman?" I asked with a raised a playful eyebrow. I tried not to laugh. I decided to play along. Some of my tiredness was melting away as I listened to her talk. She had a way of energizing me.

"Maybe..." She scrunched up her nose in a silly way. "I should check under your clothes just to make sure though."

"Check under my clothes?" I said, laughing this time. I was confused by the words, not that I minded at all. She didn't need to be devious to get into my pants. Though, it was still fun.

"Oh yes. You know Superman always has his outfit on under his clothes. I mean, you have the Clark Kent glasses... You're strong and you're extremely handsome. It's a big possibility that you are, in fact, Superman," Bella explained, trying to stay completely serious. She was adorable when she was like this. I hardly saw this side of her. I liked it, a lot.

By this time we had reached our room. I opened the door, moving us inside. I placed her in the center of the bed, crawling over her.

"Well, if you do check and you do find out... What, may I ask, are you going to do with that information?" It was very hard to keep a straight face but I liked where this was headed.

"I'll just have to tell the media. Unless you can think of a way to keep me quiet, that is," she said smugly, continuing our little game. Bella removed my glasses, placing them on the side table. She returned her hand to my cheek, stroking it gingerly. I turned my face just in time to kiss the palm of her hand.

"I can think of some things to keep your mouth busy, but I can guarantee you won't be quiet." I grinned wickedly at her.

She blushed brightly as she bit her bottom lip. I liked that I made her flustered like that. She seemed to forget where she was going with this. Bella almost seemed to be dazzled. She shook her head after a moment, taking in a deep breath.

"Well, Mr. Cullen, and how do you plan on keeping me quiet?"

"Well, if I am, _in fact_ , the person that you think I am, I'll be forced to do many _horrible_ and _terrible_ things to you," I said, trying not to snort. "I'll have to make sure you keep my secrets."

"Oh, horrible and terrible?" She raised her eyebrow. Bella began to lift my tee shirt slowly.

"Mm-hmm, hours of torture. I think I'll start by stripping off all your clothes and then tying you to bed. I will have to keep you that way for hours, if not days. Trust me, you'll be screaming by the end," I said rather smugly, proud at her shocked expression as I pinned her arms above her head.

"Oh, dear god," she moaned softly.

I leaned down and began to kiss her neck softly, letting my tongue drift over her earlobe. "Mrs. Cullen, I have a special torture reserved for the most... _wicked_ of women. Are you up for that kind of torture?" I asked, my voice dropping down several octaves. She shivered as my breath flowed over her sensitive flesh.

"Edward, stop teasing me and take me. _Please_ ," Bella begged, her voice airy and light.

"Aw, but I was having fun," I teased. " I really wanted to _torture_ you. Are you sure you're not too tired?" I asked, suddenly concerned. She was just asleep minutes before.

Her shirt was over her head and on the floor before I could even realize. How did she do that while she was underneath me? Her hands wiggled up under my shirt, pushing it up.

"Edward, trust me, I have energy enough for this."

She pushed me onto my back after removing my shirt completely. Bella straddled my waist and leaned down to kiss my lips softly. I pulled her hair from its messy bun, letting it flow over her shoulders. She shook it loose, biting her lip.

"Bella," I said softly, pulling her down to my level. I kissed her lips before I spoke again. "Thank you." Her hair hung around our faces, effectively blocking us out from the rest of the world. Our eyes held each other's gaze.

"For what?" She asked.

"For letting me have this. Letting me have today. This week. I'm having so much fun. Thank you for putting up with me," I told her seriously. I brought one of my hands up to her hair, pushing it behind her ear.

"Edward, I've told you a thousand times. I'm not _putting up_ with you. It's the other way around." I opened my mouth to speak but she put her hand up, signaling me to stop. "Nope, we're not going to discuss it anymore. Besides, the night isn't over yet."

For the second time today, my wife winked at me.

"Well, I think you're right about one thing. The night isn't over yet by a long shot."

 **Pictures on my facebook! Jeska Elizabeth if you wanna check them out.**

 **Fave and alert for more! Who wants to go to the zoo with Edward?**

 **Also, remember, reviews are motivation.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Bella**_

"But, I don't want to go home," I complained loudly, flopping back on the bed. I'm sure I sounded like a spoiled child. Edward chuckled as he packed some of the things we bought during our honeymoon.

"Don't you want to see our friends?" He asked with a soft smile.

"Um..." I said playfully, a large smile on my face.

"You know, we can't be an island all onto ourselves," he told me, tossing me a tee shirt to put on. I was still in my pajamas, putting off the inevitable.

"Who says?" I whined again, pouting.

"Oh, well if you feel that way let's hop to Mexico and not leave the beach or the hotel room for three weeks. We don't need to pack any clothes. I'll just buy you everything you need-"

"No, that's okay." I frowned. Though the idea of staying on the beach sounded great, he already spent enough on me in this short time. And, we only left the state for a day.

"That's what I thought." He grinned. Edward crawled onto the bed with me. "Next year you won't be able to stop me."

"We'll see about that," I said with a raised eyebrow. "I'll put my fair share in."

"Let me spoil you," he practically purred in my ear, laying me back on the bed.

"Like this. Only like this," I stuttered as he began to kiss my ear. He sucked on my earlobe as his hands started to trail up my shirt.

The damn phone began to ring. It was Alice. Edward didn't stop nibbling and kissing.

"Ignore it."

"She'll call back," I sighed at the sweet touch of his mouth.

"That is what _silent_ is for," he mumbled into my neck, his hands pushing my shirt higher and higher up my stomach.

"Well, I thought we couldn't be an island all onto ourselves. Besides, if we don't answer she might track us down and demand to know the reason we're not answering her phone calls," I teased as I answered the phone.

"Tell her to go away. We're enjoying the last minutes of our honeymoon," he growled into the nape of my neck.

"Well, hello to you too, sexy," Alice giggled into the phone.

"Please make this quick," I begged my sweet friend.

"Are you talking to me or Edward?" She laughed harder, pleased with her joke.

"Nothing Edward does is ever _quick_. Now tell me what you want," I demanded bluntly.

Edward started to laugh, enjoying my slight bit of bragging. His hand moved down the front of my pants. I had to bite my lip to keep from moaning. I shot him an evil look and he simply smiled back innocently.

"Well, we were thinking we could have a welcome back dinner. We miss you. Don't you miss us?" I could hear her pretend pout, teasing me.

"At this exact moment, _no_ ," I giggled, not sure if it was because of her or Edward's hands tickling my thighs lightly.

"Fine, I see how it is..."

I sighed dramatically to tease her, "what did you have in mind?"

"You guys don't worry about that. We've got it covered," she said. I knew she probably already had everything prepared. I knew I forgot to do something. _Take away her key_. I could almost guarantee that she had copies though. She was a prepared little tinker fairy.

Edward rolled his tongue down my stomach. I groaned, looking down at him. "I've got to go now," I mumbled into the phone.

"Have fun!" Alice laughed before she hung up the phone. She knew exactly what we were doing.

I smashed the off button several times before nearly throwing it across the room.

"You are so going to pay for that."

"What did I do?" He asked, the halo practically glowing around his head. He batted his eyelashes, trying to look as innocent as possible. The smirk kind of took away from it though.

"You know exactly what you did," I told him in a firm voice. I pushed him back on the bed, straddling his waist. I was frustrated in more ways than one.

"I was simply touching my wife," he said, lifting his chin up.

"In dirty ways as she was trying to talk on the phone to her best friend," I said in an accusing tone. I could tell he was trying not to smile too much. He was proud that he could get me so flustered. _Let's see how much he enjoys this_ , I thought to myself.

I started to move down his body, letting the tip of my nose graze his chest. I scooted down until my face was only a few inches away from the zipper of his pants. I grinned up at him before grabbing the zipper between my teeth. I popped the button with one quick movement, pushing his pants and boxers down his thighs a little.

"What are you doing?" He hissed in pleasure as my lips kissed his lower stomach. I was pushing his pants further and further down, along with his boxers, exposing him to me. He was already hard which made it so much more fun.

"Touching my husband," I said smugly as I kissed lower and all around, but never the part he wished I would kiss. It jerked in response, his legs spreading apart as I kissed and nipped at his thighs.

"We need to get ready to go," Edward said in a strained voice. I could tell it took a lot out of him to say the words, but I wasn't going to stop. I was having too much fun.

I let my hair drag over him as I lifted up slowly. I pulled my shirt over my head and grinned when his eyes grew wide. I began to fondle myself, taking great care to make a show out of it. I removed my pajama bottoms next, tossing them to the floor. While one hand remained on my breast, the other traveled down my stomach.

"What are you doing?" He repeated breathlessly.

"Touching myself." I moaned as I continued my little show.

"Come here," he said in a deep sexy voice. He lifted up a little and removed his shirt quickly, adding it to the pile of clothes.

"No." I smiled at him wickedly.

"Come here, Isabella," he said in a firmer huskier voice. I loved it.

I loved it when he was in charge, _usually_. It was a complete turn on. But, I wanted to control the moment. I shook my head, grinning at him wickedly again. I pressed my fingers inside of me, slowly resting my head back. I, of course, enjoyed him touching me more, but it was fun. The look on his face made it even more enjoyable.

"Okay. You've teased me enough. I'll be good and won't do it again. Come here," he whined a little, his cheeks flushed.

"Aw, but Edward, I'm having fun," I said with a giggle as I lowered my lips to his abs. I kissed all around his lower stomach and thighs, letting my breasts and hair brush against him. He groaned loudly, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. I decided to test the waters a bit more and I brought him carefully into my mouth, but only for a moment. I swirled my tongue around him, pulling away with a little pop.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath. Edward normally didn't curse much, so I really must have been getting to him. "You're _so_ mean."

"How am I mean?" I asked innocently, batting my eyelashes.

He growled softly, running his hands up my thighs to my hips. I swatted his hands away playfully, then placed my hands on his chest. I was done teasing him and myself. I lowered myself down on him, enjoying the filling sensation. I wasn't in the mood to be gentle or sweet. I wanted it to be hard and rough, something that was rather abnormal for us.

I began to move on top of him, rocking my hips back and forth forcefully. The bed was bouncing against the wall and I'm sure our neighbors hated us. I couldn't care less though. Edward gasped as I first began to move then a long loud moan escaped his lips. His hands moved back to my waist, helping me slam down on him.

I was sure at this rate neither of us would last long, but it was _amazing_.

Edward flipped us over quickly, putting me on my back. He grabbed my legs and threw them over his shoulders. He pressed deep inside of me, _hard_.

"My turn," he said with a smile.

 _ **Edward**_

Bella was laying happily against my shoulder on the car ride home. I was sure we looked... _disheveled,_ to say the least. We had to dress quickly to make sure we made it out before check out. I wouldn't have minded staying another night but it was time to get back to reality. Besides, Alice was planning a dinner for us and it would be rude to cancel at the last second.

I held Bella close to me. "Perhaps we should have a lesson when we get back," I told her.

"If that's what you'd like to do. We can always start back up tomorrow," she said with a lazy shrug.

"I think it may be a good idea. It's been so long since we've done anything. I'm not sure I even remember what we were talking about last," I told her honestly.

"Animals. Though I think you did pretty well at the zoo," she told me, brushing her fingers through my hair gently. It was such a loving gesture and I almost felt as if I was being petted. I closed my eyes and leaned into her hand.

"There is still so much I want to learn. I could hardly tell the birds apart at all," I said with a frown. I tried to hide my annoyance when it came to not knowing things, but it was hard sometimes. I didn't want her to become frustrated because I was, though.

"Birds are a bit hard," she said, her lips pursed slightly. "I mean, it's not like I can tell all of them apart either. But, we can work on that some tonight if you want to. It'll take a while before you know everything. You shouldn't let it bother you," Bella told me sweetly, kissing my cheek lightly.

"I know, but I was comfortable how I was. But, I know that since I have a wonderful teacher it will all work out," I told her with a playful grin. I kissed the tip of her nose, squeezing her side gently.

"I don't think I'm all that wonderful," Bella said a bit sadly.

"I do. I think maybe you should look into teaching," I told her honestly. I could just see her working with young children. Especially with elementary school age kids. I was sure she would be on the receiving end of many crushes. I know I would probably have followed her around like a lovesick idiot as a child, blind or not.

She giggled, "no, that's okay. I'm too shy. I think I'll stick to writing."

"Whatever makes you happy, my darling. That's all I want."

Bella looked into my eyes and smiled at me brightly. I could tell she felt the exact same way. She leaned up to give me a kiss when the door opened. I hadn't even realized we had stopped. Alice popped her head in.

"There you guys are!" She shouted in a happy tone.

"Hey, Alice," Bella giggled at her friend. My bride was in a cheerful mood and I loved it. I always wanted to see that smile.

Two arms pale arms wrapped around Alice's waist and pulled her out of the car.

"Let them at least get out first, you overly excited thing," Jasper said in his thick southern accent, laughter in his voice. "Good grief. You've had too much coffee."

Bella crawled out first then I followed. The driver was already starting to take our bags to the porch. Jasper was still holding Alice around the waist, keeping a tight hold on her. She must have had a _lot_ of caffeine that day. She was bouncing in place, a big smile on her face.

"How was it? Did you have a good time?"

"I'm sorry, I try to control her." Jasper teased her, giving me a sympathetic smile.

"It's alright. It was fantastic," I told her honestly. It was the perfect week. I felt so relaxed.

"Where did you go?" Rose asked, finally making her presence known. I was surprised Emmett could keep quiet for so long.

I had forgotten I hadn't told them where we were going. It was strange to not have them know exactly what went on. Well, not _exactly_ , but the family-friendly events. They were always such a big part of our lives.

"Actually, we just stayed here," Bella answered for me with a grin.

"But-" Emmett started, pointing his thumb back towards the house with confusion in his eyes.

"We stayed at the Horseshoe."

Alice began to pout. "You could have let us know."

"I think they wanted to be alone." Jasper rolled his eyes. "So, what did you guys do?"

"Beside each other," Emmett added with a laugh.

"Why don't we talk about it inside?" Bella answered as she rolled her eyes at our childish friend.

"I'll be inside in a minute." I grabbed one of the final bags from the trunk. The group followed Bella inside, each grabbing some of the stuff to take inside. Everyone had an armful.

"Thank you," I told the driver gratefully.

"You're welcome, Mr. Cullen." He grinned. "Congrats and call me if you ever need a driver again."

"Of course," I told him, shaking his hand. I handed him a hundred dollar bill as a tip, on top of his normal pay. He did perfectly.

I came inside, my friends already surrounding Bella in the living room. Alice was looking through the shopping bags with Rosalie. Jasper was talking to Bella about the trip to the Sci-port. Emmett was being just as nosy as the girls. I grinned, coming to sit next to Bella on the loveseat.

"Where did you go shopping at?" Alice asked, pulling out a piece of clothing. "I don't recognize the name on the bag.

"Tyler, Texas," Bella answered as she took the dress from her and folded it so she could put it on her lap. "We had a nice little day trip. There are lots of cute little shops."

She turned to Jasper. "We're going to Tyler soon." It wasn't a question or a request. I couldn't help but laugh. She really was in a mood that day.

"Alright," he muttered.

"It's for the wedding," she said in reply to his less than enthused reaction, frowning herself. I had already heard an earful about how he wished his wife wanted a smaller wedding like mine and how I was lucky. And, how she was going to drive them both insane with their mothers following not far behind.

"Hey, Ali, what's for dinner?" I asked her, pulling the attention away from Jasper. He smiled at me gratefully.

"We're going to make our own pizzas!" She said with a happy bounce, clapping her hands. _Yes, far too much coffee._

 _ **Bella**_

After dinner, we sat around talking and showing off the pictures from our honeymoon. Edward moved over to his piano as our friends _oh and awed_ over them on the computer. He tapped on the keys gently for a moment. It had been over a week since he had played, the longest time since I had known him that he hadn't. He began to play a soft sweet song, letting it flow through the room.

"That's lovely," I told him as came to sit next to him on the bench. "Could you teach me one day?" I asked softly.

"Of course," he smiled. He pulled the bench back a little bit and pulled me onto his lap. "Put your hands here. Edward said softly, putting his fingers on top of mine. His mouth was only an inch or so from my ear, his sweet warm breath flowing over my skin.

"Okay," I whispered, pressing my back against his.

He started tapping my fingers against the keys slowly, playing a simple song. "Can you copy that?"

I nodded my head, copying the notes he had just played. It wasn't nearly as smooth and I missed a couple of notes. I groaned, feeling embarrassed. It shouldn't have been that hard.

"You're doing wonderfully. Try again," he urged me in a soft tone.

"I never will be as good as you," I told him, frowning a little to myself.

"Bella, I've been playing since I was a small child. You can't expect to be perfect on the first try. Try again." He brushed his fingers through my hair, kissing my neck lightly.

I did as he asked, playing a little better. I scrunched up my nose. He took my fingers and played it again. I sighed but copied him again. He chuckled at my sour little expression.

"You doing well. Trust me, if you _really_ want to learn it will take time. You'll do beautifully though." He kissed my cheek, pressing his nose along my skin lightly.

"You know, you'd make a better teacher. You're so patient with me. Have you ever thought about it?" I asked with a smile, leaning against his chest.

"No, I haven't actually," he said thoughtfully, his lips pursing. "Do you really think so?"

"Aw, you guys are too cute," Rosalie said with a smile, pulling us out of our little world. I forgot it wasn't just the two of us alone in our house.

It wasn't until three hours later that we were finally alone. I was tired, but not sleepy. Edward was in bed, deep asleep already. He was laying on his back, a small smile on his face. His glasses were still on his face. He fell asleep looking at a book about birds. The book was resting on his chest torso, opening to the center.

I watched him for a long while, my lips pursed in thought. The urge to write flowed through me again, just as strong as at the zoo. I slowly got out of bed, careful not to wake him after removing his glasses for him.

I went into the room that was our study and went over to my laptop. I flipped it open, pressing the button to switch it on. I wasn't sure what I wanted to write, just that I wanted to. No, _needed_ to. I brought up the writing program and stared at it for a long minute. It was a harsh white blank page.

I placed my fingers on the keys and simply began to type.

 **Finally 'back' from the honeymoon!**

 **Who wants Edward to teach them the piano?**

 **If you enjoyed fave and alert for more and you can follow me on Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth! Come say hi!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

**About one month later...**

 _ **Edward**_

Married life was something that most men seemed to complain about, at least in movies and television shows. I couldn't understand why. I loved it. I loved having the woman I desired and cared for more than anything else in the world by my side all the time. I was honestly surprised that she wasn't sick of me yet.

But, as much I loved her, Bella was still the most stubborn person on the face of the planet. Donkeys were impressed by her stubbornness. She instantly got mad as soon as the question left my left my lips.

"Bella, would you at least listen to me," I said in a calm voice. "I have very logical reasons why."

"No," she said angrily, walking away from me. "I'm not going to let you talk me into this."

"You're acting like I'm trying to get you to kill someone," I said with a heavy sigh. I couldn't understand why we couldn't even talk about it.

"I'm not getting a new car. Period."

"And, tell me exactly why," I asked, frowning.

"Because I don't want to!" Bella nearly shouted. It surprised me, taking me aback that she was already so pissed off that she would raise her voice to me.

"That isn't a reason and you know it!" I hissed right back, already feeling the heat building my chest. "You give me a logical reason why we shouldn't get you a new car and I'll drop the subject. One, Bella."

Instead of answering me she stomped out of our bedroom. She went into the bathroom, not shutting the door. She began to do her hair, not looking at me but instead straight at the mirror in a glare. Bella was brushing it out roughly and I felt sorry for her poor tender scalp.

"Stop being childish and at least listen to my reasoning. Please?" I asked, leaning against the doorway. That was the wrong thing to say and I instantly knew it.

"Why are you pushing this so hard?" She growled, dropping the brush with a thud on the white marble counter. Pushing? I was simply asking her a question.

"Why are you fighting me so hard?" I countered childishly. Two can play that game.

"You can't always have your way!" Bella walked past me, going back into the bedroom. I was getting really sick of this walking away thing she was doing. The urge to grab her by the shoulders to make her stop was strong.

"Why are you acting like this is a bad thing? I just want you to be safe." I rubbed my hands over my face, pushing my glasses on the top of my head. I was starting to get a headache.

"My truck is perfectly safe," she said, her nose practically up in the air.

"Ha, okay." I snorted. "If you're not going to be realistic we're not going to able to have this conversation anyway."

"Realistic? _Realistic!_ Edward Cullen, it is not realistic to spend the money the way you do. I don't need a fancy new car. Mine works perfectly fine," Bella replied, putting her tennis shoes on her feet. We were supposed to go to the movies with the gang, but I saw that possibility fading quickly.

I realized that she worried about becoming her mother and she didn't like to be taken care of, but this was insane. I had no idea where her attitude came from. It was very unlike her.

"I will buy you whatever you want. Hell, I will rent you a car and we can have your truck restored if you want," I reasoned, nearly pleading. "I know you love it, Bella. But, it's not exactly roadworthy."

I was really worried about her safety in that thing. It was as large as a tank and barely went over fifty-five miles per hour. Bella was going to kill herself, or someone else, in that hunk of junk. I didn't care what she got, as long as it was better. At least replace the engine so it could think about going seventy.

"My truck is perfectly fine. It doesn't need a thing. I'm not getting a new car and that's final," she huffed loudly, stomping past me again. I fought the urge to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her again, balling my fists up at my sides. This was just illogical. I simply brought up the possibility of a new car and she begins to fight like it is world war three. There was more to this than she was telling me, but I was far too annoyed to care. I had never once thought of Bella as a bitch, and I never would, but I would certainly consider her behavior _bitchy_. The last time we had fought over something random she was PMSing, right after the honeymoon. _Maybe I needed to go check the dates on the calendar_ , I thought meanly to myself.

"Isabella Marie, I am not a child and you won't talk to me like this. I think we should at least consider it an option," I said, walking after her.

"Well, I'm not a child either. Thank you very much," Bella replied as she crossed her arms over her chest.

I threw my hands up in the air. "You could have fooled me!"

"You know what! If you want a new damn car that badly why don't you get a license and drive it yourself!" Bella yelled at me, turning towards the kitchen and stomping in there loudly.

"Good idea! I think that's exactly what I'll do!" I shouted at her back automatically.

Right then there was a knock on the door. I went to get it, practically pulling it off the hinges to get it open. Just as I got it fully open I heard the back door slam loudly. I growled softly.

"Is this a bad time?" Jasper asked. Alice was standing beside him, looking over my shoulder and frowning. Rose and Emmett weren't here yet, which was probably a good thing. I didn't want to offend Emmett by asking Jasper for a favor. I didn't like his driving. It scared me.

"Not at all. You're exactly the man I wanted to see," I said with a forced angry smile.

"Why do I have a feeling this isn't good?" Alice asked with a sigh, looking up at her future husband.

"Bella and I are having a little... _disagreement_. And, since we've come to an impasse I need to ask a favor." I explained as I waved my hand in front of me, inviting them in graciously.

"Alright?" He asked with an eyebrow raised. "What is it?" Jasper was rather concerned.

"I think we should get Bella a safer vehicle and she being the stubborn _creature_ ," you shouldn't call your wife an ass, "she is, she refuses to even think about it for two seconds. She suggested _loudly_ , that I learn to drive myself. That's where you come in, my friend."

"We heard that part actually," Alice said, rolling her eyes a little bit. "I'm going to go talk to Bella. Is she out back?" She asked, nodding her head towards the kitchen.

"I'm assuming so. It's where she goes to pout."

"So, you want me to teach you how to drive?" Jasper asked, walking into my living room after Alice left to check on my wife. "Are you ready for that? It's only been a little while."

"Yeah. I think so. I mean, if you don't mind teaching me" I sighed, for what seemed the millionth time that day. I sat down on one of the couches, plopping down in my frustration. I laid my head back on the cushion, trying to think. I wasn't wrong about this, but I shouldn't have yelled at her. She shouldn't have yelled at me either though. I would apologize, but only when she was willing to apologize as well. It all seemed very childish and I was getting a migraine.

"Sure. Why not? Should be interesting. Never taught someone to drive before." He sat beside, grabbing the remote from the coffee table. I was glad he was acting like it was no big deal. I realized that it was.

"Thanks. You don't know how much you're helping me out."

He shrugged, turning on the TV. Jasper flipped it to ESPN and put the remote back. "No problem. But you know something... You have the only girl ever not to be excited about her man wanting to buy her a car," he said in a thick southern accent. "Ali would flip."

I snorted, "ain't that the truth?" I copied his accent, smiling. He shook his head at my mild teasing, not taking his eyes off the screen.

 _ **Bella**_

I sat on the porch swing, seething. I was so... _pissed off_. I didn't know what to do. He had no idea, he didn't understand at all. I suddenly felt like no one ever understood me. I was being dramatic.

We hadn't really fought that much before. We agreed on most things. But, I couldn't give in on this thing. I didn't want a new car or truck. I didn't want anything changed about mine. I loved it just the way it was.

The door opened and I didn't turn to look at him. The swing creaked beside me and a thin arm wrapped around my shoulder. I looked over, a little surprised.

"Oh hi, Alice," I said softly.

"Hey, you. What's up?" She asked, concern dancing in her pretty hazel eyes.

"Nothing," I muttered, looking away. I couldn't explain all my feelings if I wanted to.

"You're a terrible liar. I have never seen Edward so... _annoyed_. What's going on?" She pushed gently, her tone low and even. She lightly began to stroke my arm. Alice was talking to me like I was a cornered animal.

"Edward wants to get a new car," I told her simply.

"And?"

"And, what?" I asked her, confused. I was hoping that would be enough to explain my feelings to her.

"And, why does this have you out here, sulking?"

"I don't want a new truck or car."

"That's it? That's why you got in a fight with your caring husband? Because he wants to buy you a new mode of transportation to replace your fifty-year-old truck and you don't want one?" Alice asked, looking at me like I was stupid.

"I don't need a new truck!" I tried to explain to her. "Mine is fine."

"Bella, Edward grew up used to certain things. He had the finer things in life. He can afford it. Do you really think it's fair to have him riding in that piece of shit?"

"It didn't bother him before." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"That's because when you were dating it was just your truck. It's now Bella and Edward's truck," she said gently. "You have to consider what he wants now, too."

"It's pretty much the only thing that ties me to my past though!" I looked away from her quickly, feeling defeated. I knew she was right. As much as I hated it, she was right... And, so was he.

"Oh, now I see what this is about," Alice said as she stood up. She moved in front of me and took both of my hands, kneeling. "Bella, you know he would never force you to do anything you didn't want to do. He only wants to make you happy. He'd give you the world if you let him."

"I know," I said, beginning to cry. I was surprised I didn't start sooner. I felt crazy emotional.

"He's only concerned about your safety. Honestly, we all are. He's not telling you to burn the thing or even get rid of it. He just wants to provide you with the best things in life because he loves you," she explained slowly. Alice almost sounded motherly.

I sniffled, taking back one of my hands. I rubbed it over my face, taking a deep breath. "I know. I love everything he's given me. I'm just not ready to lose that part of myself. Not just yet. Everything is moving so fast."

"Have you told him that?" Alice asked. "Did you explain the reason you're acting this way?"

"No," I heaved out a sigh, looking away embarrassed.

"Bella, men are... _stupid_ when it comes to women and they are not mind readers. You have to be blunt."

Yup, she was definitely in mother mode. I smiled at her words.

"Ugh, I know. He was just so damn pushy sometimes." I leaned my head against her shoulder. "Blah, I want some chocolate and something deep-fried."

Alice started to laugh, hard.

"What?"

"Now I see the _real_ reason," she laughed even harder.

I slapped her shoulder, making a face at her. "Shut up."

"Am I right?" She asked with one of her perfectly groomed eyebrows raised.

"Shut up," I mumbled again, looking away. My best friend was very much right and she knew it. We started around the same times every month. Her period never bothered her much though.

"Yup. That's what I thought. Come on. Let's go get you some chocolate. Maybe if I'm the one that provides the sweets you'll be nice to me," Alice giggled teasingly, pulling me to my feet. "I've never seen you so grouchy on your period before though."

"It's been... _rougher_ lately. I think I need to change pills or something. I've been having some major mood swings and I've been really tired." I shrugged my shoulders. "I was going to make a doctor's appointment before school starts and see what he can do for me."

"I think that might be a good idea. You may want to do that before Edward comes to live with us one week out of the month," she teased with a soft laugh.

I slapped her shoulder again. "You better get me some Whoppers before I kick your little pixie ass."

"I'd like to see you try." Alice wiggled her bottom at me as she danced through my kitchen door.

 _ **Edward**_

"Hey Jasper," I heard Bella say softly from behind us. I glanced back quickly before looking forward again in frustration.

Jasper turned around as well and smiled at her charmingly. "Hey, pretty lady," he said in a light voice. "How are you?"

"I'm alright," Bella answered, shrugging her shoulders a little bit. I could see her reflection on the now black television screen.

"Hey Jazz," Alice said, coming around the couch to him. She grabbed his hand, tugging him to his feet quickly. "Let's run to the gas station real quick before we head to the movies. I need to get Bella some chocolate before she harms someone."

I turned around and muttered under my breath, " _I knew it_ ," still feeling rather annoyed.

"Oh! Let me do it!" Alice said brightly. I could just imagine the death glare Bella was giving the back of my head right then. Alice danced over, standing in front of me. She leaned over just a little bit and popped the top of my head. "Be nice!"

I rubbed the top of my skull, feeling like pouting. "I am."

"Well, you better be nicer or I won't get you any candy for the store." She stuck her tongue out at me playfully, then winking. "We'll be right back. Hopefully, Em and Rose will be here by then."

I watched them go, leaving me alone with my angry wife.

Bella came to sit next to me on the couch. We didn't say anything for a couple of minutes. We were both lost deep in our own thoughts. I internally groaned and decided to talk first.

"I'm sorry about that comment a few minutes ago. It was very rude."

"It's alright. You're not wrong, even if you're an idiot for pointing it out." She shrugged. "I'm sorry for being a bitch."

"You're not being a bitch. Just bitchy right this moment." I gave her an apologetic smile, hoping she would understand.

"What's the difference?" She snorted.

"I don't think you have it in you to be a real bitch. You could never be that mean. But, your behavior was rather..." I struggled for a word.

"Bitch like?" My wife laughed. "I'm sorry," she breathed after she became serious again. "It's just that my truck is the last thing that I have to connect to my life before you. Everything has been crazy and I just feel like I need to hold on to it."

I opened my mouth to speak, not sure what to say. She put her hand over my lips to stop me. "I love where we live and it's not just life before you. It's life before college. I'm not ready to part with it yet."

"Why didn't you tell me that in the first place?" I asked, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. She leaned against me. "We really can just have it restored."

"I don't know. I just don't like the idea of it changing, too. I didn't want to explain it. I felt like I didn't need to."

"I can't instantly know what you want or need. You have to explain it to me. I just want you to be happy." I kissed her forehead lightly.

"Alice said that too," she giggled lightly.

"Well, then it must be true," I chuckled. I pulled her onto my lap and looked into her deep beautiful brown eyes. "I love you so very much."

"I love you, too," Bella said as she snuggled up to me. She wrapped her arms around my neck before lightly kissing my ear. It made me smile a little.

"Jasper is giving me driving lessons, by the way," I informed her, not totally sure of her reaction now that she wasn't angry at me.

"Oh... " Bella said a bit breathlessly as she pulled away to look at me.

"If that's okay?" I asked, just to make sure. She wasn't my mother and I knew I didn't have to ask for permission, but I just wanted to make sure. It wasn't worth the fight.

"If that's what you want to do." She smiled a bit sadly. "You don't have to do it because of me. I was just talking shit because I was annoyed."

"I know but I want to. It's something I've always been interested in doing. My sight is good enough now and my reading and ability to recognize things are improving every day so I don't think it would be a problem. I know it's only been two months but..."

"I think you'll be a good driver." She smiled again sweetly at me. Slowly, she leaned in and began to kiss me lightly. Her fingers went into my hair, tugging at the ends gently. Bella's mouth was suddenly eagerly kissing mine, her mood suddenly shifting in a direction I liked much more.

"Edward's going to drive? Oh, I've got to see this." I heard a voice say behind me, laughing.

"Emmett, learn how to knock. You're almost as bad Alice," I said in a dangerously low tone.

"I did. Someone didn't answer. And, now I see why," he laughed. "Having fun?"

Bella picked up a pillow from beside us and threw it at Emmett's head. It hit him square in the forehead, knocking off his LSU baseball cap. He pouted a little bit, picking up his hat. He threw it at Bella. She caught it easily, placing it on her head backward.

"Good catch, Bells," Rosalie teased as she came through the front door. She was holding a plastic bag. I wasn't sure what was in it. Alice walked in behind her, holding the same kind of bag.

"How much junk food did you get?" I laughed.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "She got two of everything."

"I got us sodas, too," Alice pointed out the bags in Jasper's hands.

"Well, I hope everyone brought their big purse," Rosalie joked, thumbing through the stuff in the bag. She happily pulled out some yellow package and shoved it into her purse for herself.

"Oh no! I was going to bring the one that match those pumps I have, but I didn't think it would go with my outfit," Emmett said sarcastically, placing his hands on his hips. He swished them back and forth.

"You know, we can fix that," Alice said with an eyebrow raised, a major smirk covering her perfect red lips. She pointed between the three girls then back at him. "Bella has some lipstick that would be just your shade."

"Oh, now this I have to see," I chuckled. Bella had her face pressed into my neck as she laughed silently. I was just pleased to see Bella happy again, even if it did mean having to dress Emmett in drag.

 **Birth control made me a rage monster lol Also, you're not newlyweds unless you fight about dumb shit.**

 **Fave and alert for more and you can follow me on Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth and Twitter- Kinda_randompic.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Bella**_

It had been two weeks since Jasper had agreed to teach Edward had to drive. It took a little longer than he liked to get things together. He needed to get a written statement from his doctor that his eyesight was good enough to learn how to drive and then had to go to the DMV to get a permit. Of course, we went to the DMV first and then they told us he needed the paper from the doctor. For a while, it felt like we were going around in circles.

"Alright. I'm going to take you to some back country roads to begin with," Jasper explained. Edward was sitting in the front seat with him while I sat in the back with Emmett. Alice and Rose were smart enough to stay home for this. I was starting to wonder why I didn't. I, of course, wanted to support my husband. But, I was more than a little nervous.

"Sounds good to me," Edward said with a shrug. He was going over his driver's guide for the fifty millionth time since he had gotten it. I couldn't understand how he could read while the car was moving. I was getting motion sickness just thinking about it.

It took us about twenty minutes to get to the place Jasper was talking about. It was amazing how we went from civilization to the deep backwoods with winding roads in a matter of minutes. "Hey. We can visit my granny while we're out here," Emmett teased. I wasn't exactly sure why he was with us, but I was sure part of it was to get on Edward and Jasper's nerves. "She's down the street from here."

"We're not going to the trailer park right now, Em," Jasper replied. His eyes never left the road, but I could see that he was smiling.

"My granny doesn't live in a trailer park," Emmett said in an annoyed tone. "She has a farmhouse."

"So you were raised in a barn! That explains so much." I nudged Emmett in the gut with my elbow, winking at him.

He grabbed a hold of my arm and began to tickle me, the entire time making odd sheep or goat noises. I laughed wildly, practically falling all over myself.

"How do you drive with them making all that noise?" Edward asked, smirking.

"Get used to it. You guys never shut up," Jasper teased. "You just have to block it out."

"One time, before we met you guys, Alice and Rosie were talking about bras. Jasper almost ran off the road. So, how well did you block them out then?"

"Hey! That isn't fair. Rose asked Alice to grab her-" He tried to defend himself. I cut him off quickly, stopping whatever he was going to say. I was sure it was going to be interesting.

"Um, I think that would be a good spot for Edward to take over." I pointed out a small bare patch on the side of the road.

Jasper pulled over his truck and got out. Edward climbed into the driver's seat, adjusting everything. Jasper was a good five inches, if not more, taller than Edward. He put his hands on the wheel and looked over at Jasper.

"Now what?"

"Make sure no one is coming and ease onto the road."

Edward looked behind him, then slowly took the large white truck out onto the country road. He was barely moving. I was very happy that no one is behind us.

"The speed limit is sixty," I reminded him.

 _ **Edward**_

I nodded my head, pressing a little firmer on the gas pedal. My hands were trembling slightly. I felt embarrassed for being so nervous. I constantly looked in my rearview mirror, making sure no one was behind me. Every time a car would pass me on the other side I would go into the shoulder a little, fighting the urge to pull over. It scared the hell out of me.

"You're doing fine. Just try to keep it a little more in the lines. I know it's unnerving to have a car whiz by you," Jasper said in a soothing voice. He was for sure the right choice when it came to teaching. Emmett was too impatient, along with being too loud, for it.

I'm pretty sure Bella was keeping Emmett in check in the backseat, which I was grateful for. I was not sure I could handle him making loud comments. Jasper was right though, I would have to get used to it. Just not yet.

I drove a few miles, always staying about ten miles under the speed limit. It was hard not to close my eyes, something I seemed to do whenever I was frustrated or scared. I had to keep reminding myself that it would be counterproductive, especially when a log truck passed us on the opposite side.

"Dude, relax," Jasper said in a soft tone. "Trust me. That freaks me out, too."

Bella began to rub my shoulders from behind. "Honey, your knuckles are turning white. Your hands are going to get tired like that."

I swallowed and nodded my head again. I lifted my fingers, keeping my thumbs on the steering wheel, flexing them only for a moment. They felt rather stiff. I had been holding it like that for quite some time.

"There is a dead end up here. It's a few miles long. No one travels it anymore, used to be for logging. You can pick up some real speed out there," Emmett said, breaking his silence. I was surprised it was actually helpful.

"Alright," I shrugged.

"Cool," Emmett said excitedly. "Make a left the next turn"

Jasper looked a little nervous but went along with it. I noticed there was no speed limit sign. It was probably stolen since no one came down this way anymore. The road was rough, bouncing us a little bit, even in the high truck. I grimaced at the thought of riding in Bella's truck down this road.

"Why don't you pick up a little speed?" Jasper asked. I noticed he was starting to hold onto the handle on the door. I couldn't blame him. I would have too if I was him.

I pressed on the gas pedal, harder than before. The vehicle lurched forward and jerked us around.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"It's fine. Just a little bit easier this time," he said, his tone more nervous now. "Try going a little bit faster."

I pushed it down, slower this time, bringing my spend over seventy miles an hour. The world was flying past me. I smiled a little bit and decided to go a little faster. I was really starting to enjoy it. Now that I was starting to relax it was fun.

I was sure I looked like a grinning fool. I pressed on the pedal again.

"This is awesome," I commented.

"I'm glad you're having fun." Jasper squeaked out. "Slow down, please."

"Why?" I asked. "There isn't anyone out of here."

"The road is coming to an end up here. Slow down," he said in a commanding voice.

After a moment I did as I was told. I didn't want to. Jasper's knuckles were now white as he held onto the handle above the door. "Why don't you pull over up here?" He offered, his voice strained.

"Aw, but I'm just getting the hang of it," I replied. When I pulled over it kicked up dirt, sand, and rock.

"Yeah, well, my heart can't take anymore," he mumbled, hopping out of the truck's cab.

"Edward, you just gave a whole new meaning to the name _'Oh Shit! Handle_ '," Emmett laughed. He decided to take the passenger seat so I went to back with Bella. She slid closer to me, taking my hand.

 _ **Bella**_

"How did I do?" He asked softly, looking rather worried. I felt bad for him. I knew there wasn't too much I could do to comfort him.

"You did better than me on my first time driving. I hit two garbage cans and our mailbox," I told him with a smile.

"Really?" He said, not really looking appeased at all. Edward leaned his head against my shoulder, lacing his fingers with mine.

"Yeah. I scared my driver's ED teacher half to death. There were students in the backseat screaming, _'Ah! We're all going to die!_ ' I thought she was going to pee herself she was so scared. I don't think she taught it after that."

"Hey! I understand how she feels!" Emmett said, turning around.

I sneered at him, giving him an evil look. "You're not helping."

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Jasper actually did look scared though," Emmett laughed.

"I was kind of worried about my truck," he admitted. "Can you blame me?" Jasper said, looking at the road.

"I don't. Do you want me to look into a driving school or something?" Edward asked, not moving his head from my shoulder. I realized his eyes were shut tightly, making the edges crinkle slightly. I brought my hand to his hair. I stroked it gently and kissed his forehead.

"You wouldn't mind?" Jasper asked, sounding worried. He was definitely the most tactful of our friends and I was glad that they were so close. That we were all so close, actually. "I mean, I don't mind practicing with you, it's just-"

"No, really it's fine. Maybe after a few lessons with a professional you can take me out to practice again." He smiled reassuringly, knowing Jasper was looking in the rearview mirror at him.

"That would be cool."

"Why don't I take you guys out to dinner to say thank you?" He offered, wrapping one arm around my waist, sitting up some. For the first time since he got into the truck again, his eyes were open. It worried me a little bit, but I wasn't going to say anything.

"Alright, but we better call the girls or they'll get mad," Emmett said, already pulling out his cell phone. "I know just the place they can meet us."

About twenty minutes later we were pulling in front of a small building in downtown Bossier. It was all the way across town, but it wasn't a huge deal. Everything was fairly well packed in the area. Alice and Rosalie were already there, waiting in front of Alice's little yellow car.

"I haven't gone here in ages!" Rosalie said happily, wrapping her arm around Emmett's.

"What is this place?" I asked as we went inside. You could tell it hadn't changed much since the seventies. The aroma of barbecue filled the area. It smelled amazing. My stomach growled loudly, making Edward chuckle beside me.

 _ **Edward**_

"Oh, this is Joe Cobb's. It's been around like... Sixty-something years. My dad came here as a kid. There was supposed to be another Cobb's, his brother's, down on Airline drive. He sold the building when he retired and now it's an Arby's." Emmett frowned a little bit.

"What can I get you?" A tall very dark-skinned black man asked, a bright smile on his face.

"Um, I've never been here before. I don't know what to get," I answered truthfully, feeling a bit embarrassed. I was too busy listening to Emmett to read the menu.

"Do you like chopped beef?" He asked.

"Sure," I shrugged. I had only eaten it a handful of times but it was always good when I had it.

"I'll get you a number two then. That's two chopped beef sandwiches. Potato salad, baked beans or chips?" He asked, placing some bread into some sort of machine.

"Chips, I guess."

"They're around that way." He nodded his head towards the side of the room. The space was only a single small square. I wasn't even sure they had a bathroom.

"I'll take the exact same thing," Bella added, coming to follow me. We had very similar tastes in food so if I liked it so would she.

"I want a number two and a turkey sandwich with cheese and mayo, please," Emmett said brightly.

"You do realize that is three sandwiches, right?" Bella asked him with a raised eyebrow. She then shook her head. "Nevermind."

"I want three turkey and cheese sandwiches, cheese, and mayo too," Alice stated as she danced up to the counter.

"You can't possibly eat all of that," I commented.

"Watch her," Jasper mumbled. "She eats more than me."

After Rose and Jasper ordered, a more reasonable amount of food, I went over to the cash register to pay. They only took cash, so I was glad that I actually had some on me. Before my surgery, I never used to carry it around. There was a small reddish-haired older woman with a tiny smile on her face. The man that made our food told her what we ordered. I could practically see her counting out the numbers in her head. Her eyes were staring into nowhere as she did so. I wondered why she just didn't use a calculator or something like that.

"That'll be thirty-five forty-two," the woman said, her voice slightly high pitched and a little gravelly like she had used it too many times.

I handed her the money without a word, just looking at her. Something was different about her and I wasn't quite sure what.

"How much did you give me?" She asked me, her tone still sweet.

I was kind of confused by the question until Emmett leaned over and whispered, "Mrs. Sue is blind. Tell her how much money you gave her."

"Oh, forty. Sorry," I muttered, embarrassed. I was sure I was blushing. I felt kind of stupid not knowing she was blind. I felt like I should have known. But she was the first person I had seen that was sight impaired. I wondered if my eyes were the same way. If so, they were nearly as creepy as I always feared they were.

Mrs. Sue gave me the exact change I needed back and wished us a good day, the smile never wavering on her slightly wrinkled face. I wondered if I could have that sort of happy spirit in fifty years if I was still blind. I would hope so.

We sat in silence, eating our food. It was _amazing_ , too. It wasn't quite like anything I had tasted before. Alice even let me try a bite of her turkey, which was really good too. I was torn between what I liked better and could now see way Emmett ordered so much. I looked around the small room and realized that there were pictures of the woman behind the counter with a man, who I assumed to be the owner. They were taken all over the world. On mountaintops and cruises. There were even pictures of them when they were younger. This woman was proof was you could be successful and still be blind. She was incredible to me. I felt kind of stupid for having such low expectations of myself when I was in the same position.

"How you are folks doing tonight? Is this your first time in?" An older gentleman with a booming voice asked. It was the man from the pictures.

"We're doing good. It's not our first time." Emmett pointed between himself, Jasper, Alice, and Rosalie. "We decided to bring our Yankee friend and his wife in for some good food," he said in a thick southern accent, that was actually pretty rare on Emmett. I could tell he was trying to ham it up like always.

"Yankee? Where you from?" He asked, turning his attention towards me.

"Chicago."

"Chicago? They got good pizza up there. Our barbecue is better though," he said, his voice getting a little louder.

I couldn't help but smile. He seemed very friendly. "Yes, sir. I believe it is."

"And, this is your pretty wife?" He asked, nodding his head towards Bella.

She blushed brightly, burying her face in my shoulder. It was funny that she was so easily flustered.

"Yes sir, she is."

"What you folks down here for?"

"School. We go to Centenary." I told him truthfully.

"Good, _good_. We always need people with more book smarts. Lord knows I need them. That's why I have my wife," he chuckled. "You folks have a nice day now. Come back and see us again."

After that conversation, we decided to go. Everyone was done. I climbed into the backseat with Bella again, this time holding her much closer to me.

"You seem in a better mood," she commented.

"Yeah. I just realized that feeling sorry for myself is really stupid. There are people with worse problems who do a lot better with what they have than me. I need to stop it and just... try harder, I guess," I tried to explain. I leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Thank you."

"I don't know what I did to deserve it, but if it means getting kissed, okay," she teased. I leaned down and kissed her deeply, surprising Bella a little bit. "What was that for?" She asked, taking in a deep breath.

"For being amazingly beautiful and sexy." I winked, causing her to giggle at my stupid playfulness.

"And, that's another thing you have to put up with. People making out in your backseat," Jasper said loudly, getting our attention. I chuckled, looking away, embarrassed.

"Sorry," Bella and I mumbled at the same time. Neither of really was though.

 **Jasper and Rosalie ain't related in this one, FYI lol**

 **Cobb's is real, as was Mr. Joe and Mrs. Sue. They were lovely people who are sadly gone now. The gentlemen that made the sandwiches is now part owner and it's still around! And it looks exactly the same and is just as good.**

 **If you wanna follow me you can on Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth or on twitter- Kinda_randompic. And don't forget to fave and alert for more.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	15. Chapter 15

_**Bella**_

"It's time to get up," I purred in Edward's ear. It was our first day of school. It was still dark outside. I hated getting up that early, but it made it easier by the wonderful sight before me. Edward was sleeping, completely nude with the sheet barely covering his torso.

I ran my hand over his stomach, trying to make him stir. I decided it wasn't going to work so I sat on top of him, straddling his waist. I pulled the sheet around me.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, it's time to get up."

"I am _up_ ," he mumbled, smiling. He ran his hand over my thighs, trying to push the sheet upward.

"I didn't mean it like that and you know it!" I slapped his hands away. "I thought we could go get some breakfast before class." I was glad more of our classes were around the same time. The only one that was different was his music lesson that was on Tuesday afternoon, which just happened to be that day.

"Must you tease me in the naughtiest of ways?" He asked, smirking. Edward rolled me over so that he was on top. He kissed me lightly. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Strawn's," I said with a shrug. I couldn't think of anything else at the moment. It is hard to think with an extremely handsome naked man on top of you.

"Mm... pancakes." He smiled, giving me one more peck on the lips. "Well, come on then. Let's get a shower."

"Are you nervous about school?" I asked, trying to take the shampoo down from its ledge once we were in the bathroom. He took it from me, squeezing a little bit in his hand. Edward began to work the lather in my hair before he spoke.

"A little," he shrugged. "I'm kind of worried about making a fool of myself."

"Why would you make a fool of yourself?" I asked as I turned around to look at him. "How?"

With his large hands, he leaned my head back and began to massage the soap of my hair as the hot water ran down my back. He was trying to distract me. Sadly, it was working. It took me a minute to compose myself.

"Edward..."

"I'm sure I read far slower than everyone else. I'm sure everything takes me longer," he finally answered.

"You're going to be just fine. I believe in you. Trust me. You read better than you think." I leaned up and kissed the tip of his chin lightly. It was covered with stubble which was pleasantly rough against my lips.

"Well, I'm glad someone has some faith in me," he commented.

I frowned, wishing I knew how to make him feel better. I slid my fingers into his hair and pulled him down to look into my eyes. "You are amazing. Why don't you see that?"

"You're supposed to say that. You're my wife," Edward teased.

"You're so full of it sometimes, you know that?" I asked, tugging on his hair. "Trust me. I'm not the only one that knows you are."

 _ **Edward**_

I didn't want to wake up that morning. I had barely slept the night before and not because of the things that Bella and I did in the night. All night my fears about school were bugging me. I had just gotten to sleep it seemed before Bella was waking me up.

She rubbed her soft hand over my stomach, tickling me a little bit. I tried hard not to move in hopes that she would decide to go back sleep and we would skip that day. Though, I knew that wasn't going to happen, especially on the first day. I hoped that most of the classes would just be passing out the synopsis for the year. Though, it didn't really matter since my music lesson was later in the evening. I would be stuck there all day.

She straddled my waist. "Edward Anthony Cullen, it's time to get up."

I smiled a little bit, not opening my eyes. "I am up," I teased, pushing the thin sheet up her thighs. I let my fingertips graze her bottom for a moment before I tried to move it even higher.

She playfully slapped my hands away. Bella decided to distract me with food and the idea of a shower. I let her distract me. I didn't want to think about it anymore. Her, naked, was more fun to imagine. Actually, just about anything was more fun to think about.

Then she asked me if I was nervous...

How could I explain it to her? I was terrified, more so than last year. Things were completely different. I wasn't sure how I would react to all the people. I was never a fan of crowded places, but now it was worse. I could handle it when Bella was with me, but she couldn't follow me everywhere. I knew she would if I asked her to, but I never would. It wasn't fair to her.

She was always so sure of me. I wasn't sure I deserved it though. I wasn't sure if I could handle it on my own. When I was alone with her in the house getting frustrated over slow reading was one thing. This was completely different.

We were mostly quiet the drive over to the restaurant. I was too deep in my thoughts. I laid my head against the window, taking deep breaths with my eyes closed. Bella's hand clutched mine, squeezing it reassuringly.

"What are you going to get?" She asked, finally breaking the silence as we made our way into the small building. It was already packed with people, mostly students about to go to class. It was right across the street from the school after all.

"Pancakes." I shrugged, sitting down with a sigh.

"Don't look like that," Bella said, taking both of my hands in hers.

"Look like what?"

"Like someone just stole your puppy. It's going to be alright today. You'll see..."

I made a little face. "I don't like dogs all that much."

Bella laughed, "I always wondered why you never had a seeing-eye dog."

I smiled a little bit at her silliness. "Dogs don't like me either, in all fairness. I prefer cats."

"And, as funny as it would be to see, cats don't lead people around," she teased sweetly, a giggle in her voice.

 _ **Bella**_

The rest of our breakfast was rather quiet, but he didn't seem as... _sad_ , I suppose. He was lost in his thoughts it seemed. I could understand his fear, but I didn't know how to make him feel better.

His first class wasn't too far from my first one, so I walked him to the room. It started a few minutes before mine, so I had the time. "Are you sure I can't come to pick you up tonight?" I asked for the tenth time that morning.

"Yes, I'm sure," Edward laughed. "You're just trying to get out of your doctor's appointment," he teased gently. I wasn't going to tell him he was right. It was at 4:45 and I were nervous. I would probably be there for at least an hour. I also wanted to be there for him that night if things didn't go well. "Besides, Jasper will be here. He's going to let me drive since I've had a couple of lessons."

"I'm not trying to get out of anything..." I said like a pouty little kid. He chuckled and leaned down to kiss my forehead.

"Go to the doctor. I'm scared of cranky Bella." He raised his eyebrows, a smirk playing on his perfect lips.

I stuck my tongue out at him and hugged his waist. "I'm not that cranky."

"You're can be a little diluted sometimes, you know that?" He squeezed me tightly, joking. We both knew what my mood swings had been and neither had liked them. "Alright. I better head inside. See you tonight. I love you."

After another kiss, I started to walk to my own classroom. I would have to have been blind not to notice the people giving me looks. It took me a few moments to figure it out. It was because of Edward. I hoped that he didn't notice it. I wasn't sure how he would react to it when they figured it out. Edward was rather known around campus as the amazing blind piano playing freshmen. Now that he had his sight I was sure he would be the topic of a lot of gossip.

I sat down in my classroom, waiting for my professor to show up. It was annoying to have him late on the first day. A group of girls was looking at me.

"May I help you?" I asked.

"Are you with the blind guy?" The bravest of the three asked.

I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath. I would have to get used to explaining this. "He isn't blind anymore, but yes. He's my husband."

"What do you mean, not anymore?" Another of the girls asked.

"He had surgery over the summer break," I replied simply.

"Why didn't he have it sooner?" The brave one said again.

Wow. That was a little rude and nosy. I pressed my lips together, about to answer in a not so nice way. I wasn't really sure what I was going to say, but I was a _little_ annoyed. Thankfully, the professor chose that moment to come in. His shoes were mismatched and his hair was everywhere.

"Sorry, sorry. My alarm didn't go off."

 _ **Edward**_

People left me alone most of the day. Some asked me questions, but that was about it. I didn't want people to go easy on me just because I used to be blind. It wouldn't help me learn anything.

I was waiting in the practice room for my new piano teacher. I hated this part. If I didn't need it for credits, I would have dropped it. I could probably teach them a thing or two, I was sure.

I was a little early so I began to let my fingers glide across the ivory keys. My piano at home was better, newer. I usually preferred grands to uprights, but this is what they had. I started out with something easy, some Beethoven. Then, I eased into something I wrote myself for my mother.

"I've never heard that one before. What is it?" The heavily accented female voice asked from behind me. I stopped and turned around. In the doorway was a short blond with very large blue eyes.

I finally remembered my voice, clearing my throat before I started playing again. "Esme's garden. I wrote it for my mom when I was thirteen."

"It's lovely," she complimented me.

"Thank you," I smiled slightly, blushing a little bit. I wasn't sure why I was. I had been complimented on my playing many times before.

"I'm Irina. It's nice to meet you. You must be Edward." She walked over to me with her tiny hand extended.

I shook it for a moment, blushing a little more. "You, too."

"So, what would you like to work on?" She asked, sitting beside me. Irina was about a foot shorter than me with a very thin frame.

I couldn't understand why I was blushing so much around her. She wasn't doing anything amazing or obviously flirting with me. I wasn't doing anything to embarrass myself. I bit my lip, trying to think.

"Whatever you would like is fine with me."

 _ **Bella**_

I was sitting nervously in the doctor's office in nothing but that silly paper gown. I wasn't even wearing underwear. I was red from head to toe. I had my ankles crossed, swinging them back and forth, making the paper crinkle with the movement.

I had kind of put off the whole doctor thing. I knew I needed a full checkup. My last one had been before I came to Shreveport. I wasn't a huge fan of doctors, with the exception of Carlisle.

"Hello, Mrs. Cullen?" A young woman poked her head through the door. "I'm Dr. Terry. How are you doing today?" She asked, shutting the door behind herself.

I shrugged. "Fine, I guess."

"That doesn't sound so convincing." She smiled. "What brings you in today?"

"I think my pill has been making me tired and I've been having some major mood swings, especially on and around my period," I explained.

"So... well, I see that you're married. First off, we're going to do a pregnancy test along with a Pap test. It's not uncommon for this type of medication to have this sort of effect though," she explained. "Why don't we get you up in the stirrups?"

"Oh, fun," I muttered with a sigh. I scooted down, putting my feet up in the metal torture devices. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.

"So, how long have you been married?" The doctor asked conversationally as she began one of the most uncomfortable tests possible. I thought about Edward, trying to think of something pleasant. Home. Cuddling. Wine. My dear sweet husband.

"Since June."

"Congratulations!" She said with a smile as she stood up then pulled out a cup. "There is a bathroom down the hall."

It wouldn't surprise me if I was pregnant. The amount of sex we had been having was... _staggering_ , sometimes literally. We were probably worse than the average newlywed. I blushed at the thought of how much I enjoyed being with Edward. Though, I wasn't sure if I was ready to be a mother yet. Not that I would have minded carrying Edward's child. If it happened, I wouldn't fret over it much. Though, I wasn't sure what Edward would think about that.

I walked back down the hall after I filled that cup. I hated doing this part. It was disgusting. The doctor came back into the room and took it from me. "We're just going to do a simple test," she explained.

I waited in silence as the doctor took a sample and spread over a small white stick in a dropper. I think my heart literally stopped at that point. It was taking too long to figure it out. Weren't pregnancy test suppose to take like three minutes?

"Just as I thought. Negative. It's going to take a few days for your pap test to come back, but from what I can tell everything looks fine. What I think we should do is put you on a lower dose pill, lower hormones. We'll have you come back in three months to see how it's working for you and we can adjust it from there."

It took me a few minutes to process what she said. I just heard the word _negative_. I started to take in deep breaths, feeling relieved. After going to the pharmacy, I decided I would go home and see if Esme left any of her good wines. I needed to relax.

 _ **Edward**_

I waited for Jasper by his truck. I leaned against it, my eyes closed. I was getting more comfortable behind the wheel, but it was still a little scary at times.

I really liked my new piano teacher, if you could call her that. She was only a couple years older than me. She was from Russia originally. Irina came as a transfer student and just stayed afterward. Her father was a lawyer. We actually had a lot of common.

"Hey, sorry. Didn't keep you waiting long?" He asked, handing me the keys. Jasper dumped his backpack in the backseat and climbed into the passenger side.

"No, don't worry about it," I told him as I brought the truck to life. I enjoyed driving it a lot more than the student driver car which was a two thousand something Ford. "How was your day?"

"Good. Busy. I've got a lot of work to do. How was your day?" He asked.

"Not bad. My lesson went a lot better than I expected."

"That's cool. I know the guy you had last year was a real idiot. So, this one is better?"

"Yeah. She's really nice." I smiled but I felt guilty. I grimaced a little, trying to focus on the road.

"What's that look?" He asked.

"What is with people commenting on my expression today?" I sighed heavily. "Bella and now you." I turned right, my eyes staying on the road.

"When you brought her up, you smiled but it was weird. What was that about?"

We got to a red light and I stopped. I turned to look at him, thinking about my answer.

"I don't know. She seems pleasant. We had a good conversation. I feel weird though. She almost our age."

"Is she attractive?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "I really can't tell the difference. You know that."

"Do you find her attractive is what I meant."

I thought about it for a moment and I blushed. I did. I had never seen anyone else I was attracted to before. Of course, Irina was nothing close to Bella. Every time I saw her my heart thumped wildly. Her dark eyes and full lips made me want to kiss her constantly, drawing me in. I instantly felt guilty for even glancing at the pretty blond.

"Dude, don't worry about. You're married, not dead. You can be attracted to other women. You'll never act on it, of course. But... You've never really had to deal with this before, huh?" He asked as we pulled into my driveway. I turned the truck off but didn't step out.

"No. I've been around you guys all summer. I mean, not that I don't think Alice or Rose aren't attractive too. They're very pretty but this different," I tried to explain to him.

Jasper laughed a little bit, "it's like they're your sisters. You know they're good looking, but it kind of grosses you out to think of them that way?"

"Yes," I answered. "I feel like a pig right now." I leaned my head against the steering wheel, taking a deep breath.

"That's probably a good thing." He smirked. "As I said, you'd never act on it. But, it's alright to look. Don't feel guilty. You've got almost twenty years of looking around to catch up on. You didn't get to do it before you met her. Bella isn't petty, she'll understand. She's a lot like Alice that way."

 _ **Bella**_

I was laying on the couch with a glass of white wine and a book when Edward came in from class. I didn't drink at all before I met Edward. I was starting to get spoiled with this kind of stuff. He didn't seem to mind that too much.

"Hey. How was your day?" I asked after taking a small sip. I put it down on the table in front of me.

Edward dropped his backpack and instantly came over to me. He leaned over, taking my face in between his strong smooth hands. He kissed me deeply for several long moments. My book dropped to the floor with a thud. I let my arms wrap around his neck, lifting up a little to meet him.

"I love you, my lovely wife."

"I love you, too. Was your day okay?" I said, stroking his cheek gently.

"It was good. How was your doctor's appointment?" He asked as he sat beside me. Edward stole my glass of wine from the coffee table and took a large sip.

"She changed my pill. I'm not pregnant," I told him as I took the glass back, taking another sip. "I hate the stupid tests they have to do."

"I'm sorry," he said sweetly as he pulled me onto his lap. Edward took the glass from my hand and sat it down on the table. His arms wrapped around my waist. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

"Just hold me."

 **Strawn's is real! And right across the street from the school.**

 **If you enjoyed don't forget to fave and alert for more from me and this story. You can also follow me on facebook- Jeska Elizabeth!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey hey hey, first double chapter of the story.**

 _ **Bella**_

I laid in bed, just glad that I didn't have to go to class in the morning. It had been a couple of weeks since school had started back, and though it was not really hard, it was extremely time-consuming. With more projects and group efforts along with having to balance friends and family, it was a little bit stressful. So, after working doubly hard the week before, I finally had a weekend where I didn't have something screaming for my attention. School wise anyway.

I was just starting to wake up, my head still completely foggy. I wasn't sure what time it was. I wasn't sure what was planned for the day since it was my birthday, but I wasn't looking forward to it. Edward was always a bit over the top. Actually, he was completely over the top with most things. Last year was a small affair simply because we had just met and Edward really hadn't become comfortable yet. I was sure even if he were still blind, this year would be insane. His sight just gave him more ways to go all out.

I felt him first begin to kiss on my exposed shoulder, my tank top not covering much. They were light and sweet, most likely meant to wake me up. I was going to keep my eyes closed as long as possible to keep them coming.

"You're an awful actress," Edward teased in my ear, licking it lightly, sweetly. "Happy Birthday my beautiful Bella," he purred.

"No, it's not," I complained, rolling over and cuddling with the blanket.

Edward chuckled a little bit. "It's the thirteenth of September, therefore, it is your birthday."

"It's not if I pretend otherwise," I mumbled into the comforter.

"Don't you want to know what your birthday present is?" He asked playfully. Edward knew very well that I didn't.

"Nope."

"I promise you'll like it." He kissed the outer shell of my ear again, tugging on it gently. It was a very pleasant sensation.

"You're not going to stop until I say yes, are you?" I asked, rolling over to look at him. I tried very hard not to look at his barely covered body. I knew if I did he would win out sooner, which wasn't fair. My husband almost always got his way.

Edward shook his head, a large smile on his face. "First, you're going to have breakfast in bed. Don't complain, it's already been started. Then, after a shower, I have a surprise for you."

"What's for breakfast?" I asked, ignoring the surprise part.

"You'll just have to wait and see."

 _ **Edward**_

She was altogether far too stubborn. It was so frustrating at times. But, one day, I would get her used to at least being spoiled on her birthday. That was the day that she deserved it the most. I would make it a national holiday if I could, just to show her how much I loved and adored her.

I went into the kitchen to get the breakfast I had started. I was no master chef, but I could make a couple of things. All of them were pretty simple. I had stuck some bacon in the microwave before I went to wake her. I had French bread cut up for toast and a tray with a mug of coffee and a glass of orange juice waiting for her. I quickly started some scrambled eggs.

I did have some plans and surprises for the day. I was pretty sure she would enjoy them. They weren't extreme, or over the top. Or, at least I didn't think they were. So, it was just her style. I even behaved when it came to her present. I didn't spend thousands, or even several hundred. Bella would have to give me some credit for that, I felt.

I put the bacon on a plate, along with the buttered toast and eggs, then placed it on the white tray. I double checked that I had everything I needed, including salt and pepper, and headed into the bedroom that we shared.

Bella was sitting up in bed, her laptop on her legs as she waited for me. I had to stop and admire her. Even in the morning all disheveled, she was perfectly lovely. She was wearing one of my tank tops, along with a pair of my boxers, which went down to her knees. Her hair was thrown into a loose ponytail at the top of her head. I smiled as I noticed her bare toes wiggle as she typed.

"That smells good," she said as she looked up from the screen. Bella closed it and set it on the table. "What all do you have there?"

"Just a basic breakfast. One of these days I'll try to make you pancakes." I smiled at her, sitting beside her with the tray. I placed it on the bed, careful not to spill anything. There was plenty for two, probably more, on that plate. She picked up a piece of bacon and began to nibble on the end. "What's on your mind?" I asked.

Bella shrugged, leaning against my shoulder. She seemed a little sad. "Our first fight was a year ago today."

"Do you remember what else happened a year ago?" I asked, pulling a piece of hair away from her pretty face. I leaned down and kissed the top of her head lightly.

"I do," she smiled a little bit, eating a fork full of eggs.

"You know, I knew at that moment when we on the floor in the hallway of your old apartment. With you on top of me, even with you smacking the hell out of my arm, that I loved you." I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her a bit closer to me.

"Oh. So, me hitting you makes you love me?" Bella asked jokingly with a raised eyebrow. She smiled a little bit, evilly I might add, and balled up her fist.

"Don't even think about it," I told her in a playful tone. "You won't like the results."

"I liked what happened last time but I'll save it for later tonight," she teased me as she came to sit on my lap. She offered me a bite of toast and I took it, kissing her fingers before I did. She giggled and rubbed the butter that was left on her fingers across my upper lip.

"You're trouble this morning, you know that?" I leaned down to kiss her, smearing the butter on her cheek. She groaned and made a little face, sticking out her tongue playfully.

 _ **Bella**_

Breakfast was fun. After a few more rounds of our buttery battling, we finished eating and I laid against his chest.

"So, what is my surprise? I might as well get it over with."

"Gee, I'm glad you're so excited about it," Edward said in a sarcastic voice, rolling his eyes. "It's not going to be here for another hour or so."

"Should I be scared?"

He rolled his eyes again, scoffing. "Let's go take a shower," Edward responded, ignoring my question. That was a _yes_ if I ever heard one.

Taking showers with Edward was perhaps one of my favorite things to do with him. Not always sexual, it was at least always fun. We always at least seemed to have interesting conversations while in there. But, that morning, I wanted to tease him a little bit.

I climbed into the shower after him, with Edward's help. He took my hand, keeping me balanced so I would not fall. He always let me go under the spray first since it took me longer to wash because of my long hair. I soaked my hair quickly and moved so Edward could get some of the hot water. I turned my back to him, bending over to get the shampoo. I brushed my ass against his thighs. I wasn't sure it was working until I heard him groan.

"You're being bad," he said with a sigh, grabbing my hips. I slowly stood up, looking over my shoulder at him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I smiled sweetly.

"Liar," Edward whispered as he leaned down to kiss my shoulder. He pulled my hair away from my skin, licking lightly. "I've got something special planned so you need to behave for me, please?"

I pouted a little bit. I didn't want to behave. "Fine," I whined.

He pressed his body firmly against mine, her chest against my back. His hands snaked around my waist and slid easily upward. Edward grabbed both of my breasts in his hands, massaging them gently. "It will be worth it..." he purred in my hair, pinching my nipples. "I promise."

The rest of the shower was not nearly as exciting as that moment. I washed quickly, wanting to get out of the way of temptation. I blow dried my hair, pulling it partially up. I was still wrapped in my towel as I spritzed on my perfume.

"What do I need to wear?" I asked Edward.

"I would imagine something comfortable." He shrugged as he walked into the bathroom with nothing but a pair of jeans. He ran a brush through his messy hair, not really making a difference. I smiled slightly at the effort. He was so cute at times. I could see the frustration dancing in his eyes when he saw that it simply fell back into place. I decided to distract him a little bit. I dropped my towel, letting it fall to the floor.

"So, jeans then?" I asked as I swayed my naked body towards the bedroom.

"Anything," he stopped, his voice cracking slightly. Edward cleared his throat and began again. "Anything you want to wear, I'm sure will do."

 _ **Edward**_

I was glad that she was almost dressed by the time I came back into the bedroom. If Bella was any more forward with her flirting everything would get off to a late start. I needed every second that I could get. I slipped on a tee shirt and a pair of flip flops just in time to hear a knock at the door.

I went to open it. "Hello, girls." I smiled at Rosalie and Alice. Their arms were linked and they were both smiling brightly. I knew they were excited about the mission I had for them that day. I pulled out my wallet and took out one of my credit cards. "Get her ready. Strap her down if you must," I told them sarcastically.

"Anything you say, boss," Rose teased as she slipped the card into the back pocket of her tight jeans. Not a moment later, Bella walked into the room. "There is the birthday girl! Are you ready to go?"

"Where are we going?" Bella looked at me with large questioning eyes. I leaned over and kissed her lips lightly.

" _We_ aren't going anywhere. _You_ are going to have a lovely lunch with the girls and they have their own special treat planned for you."

"But, I want to spend the day with you," my wife complained with a heavy pout. Her bottom lip jutted out and it was too tempting not to kiss.

"We have tonight and all day tomorrow. Go have fun. I love you," I said, telling her my goodbyes as I walked her out the door.

"I love you, too. Call me if you need anything," Bella said, touching my cheek before she slipped out the door. She was always so concerned about me. I had my own plans to work on though.

Not five minutes after the girls left, Jasper and Emmett showed up on my front step. I made sure I had my wallet and keys then headed out the door. I climbed into the backseat of Emmett's jeep which he wouldn't let me practice driving in for anything in the world.

"So, what do you need to do today?" Jasper asked.

"First, I want to pick up her present. Then, let's grab some lunch. After that, I need to pick up candles and lots of roses again. Then last but not least, need to pick up dinner," I explained to my best friends.

"Do you have any idea what you're going to get her?" Emmett asked as he backed out of the driveway.

"I know exactly what I want to get her. It's the same place I got her the bracelet last year. James Avery. She really seemed to like that so I went on the website and they have these really nice charm bracelets. I know a few of the charms I want to get her. Hopefully, she can't complain about it too much. This was my second choice."

"What was your first?" Jasper turned around to look at me, one of his blond eyebrows raised.

"Originally, I wanted to buy her a car."

 _ **Bella**_

"I can't believe you guys talked me into this," I complained as I sat in the chair. We had already had lunch and they had forcefully made me shop, making sure I didn't see the price of a single item once they realized the mood I was in. I saw a flash of Edward's credit card and I somewhat knew what I was happening. I was being kept away from home. I simply hoped he wasn't throwing me a party. But, I feared the worst.

My face was covered in some sort of white goop that kind of smelled like cream and honey. I actually had cucumbers over my eyes. I wondered what they were used for but I wasn't going to ask. I didn't want to look stupider than I already felt. I could tell that Rosalie and Alice were enjoying themselves.

"Shut up and get pampered," Rosalie said, nudging me with her foot.

"What are we doing after this?" I asked, ready to leave. I wasn't sure how much more I could take. After having weird things done to my feet I was ready to go. The idea that I was going to a party after this had put me in a foul mood.

"We're going to my place to change," Alice explained

"Do you have any idea what he's planning tonight?" I almost sounded like I was pleading. It was a little pathetic. I just wanted to know for sure what I was walking into.

"I'll never tell," Alice said in a sing-song voice. I took one of the cucumbers from my eyes and threw it at her, hitting her smack dab on her forehead. She squealed then giggled loudly. She peeled one of her own cucumbers off and threw it at me.

"You two are worse than a bunch of three-year-olds," Rosalie muttered as she settled back into her seat, her head lulling back comfortably with her eyes still covered.

That was all it took for me and Alice to create a truce. We looked at each other, then to Rose. At the same time, we both chunked the flavorless pale green vegetable at her cream covered face.

I would have to give these two girls one thing... They really could do hair and makeup. At least they didn't make me sit with someone for two hours as they piled too many products onto my skin. Though Alice did it brighter than I ever would, I could not complain. Rosalie had my hair simply twisted up in a clip, overflowing at the top. Somehow, she could even make that look better than I did. They even painted my nails a fire engine red to match my dress.

The dress was shorter than I would have normally worn, but they said it was a special occasion and that I should be more daring. It was low cut, dipping in between my breast, and it was even lower in the back. It was cut in a triangle shape, exposing most of my back to the air. They even got me into matching red stiletto heels. I hoped we weren't doing much walking tonight or I would die.

I climbed into the front seat of Alice's little yellow car and something from behind surprised me. I was being blindfolded, again.

"Dammit. What are you doing?" I asked.

"Boss's orders," Rosalie said before she slipped something over my ears.

I wasn't sure how long I was in the car. I hated being blindfolded. I hated surprises. I hated surprise parties. But, it wasn't long before the door was being pulled open for me. I was tugged to my feet, and a stumbled a little bit, falling into whoever was standing in front of me.

A firm hand, one I knew to be Edward's, tugged me towards something. I walked a few feet, then stumbled and almost fell on my face. A strong pair of arms scooped me up, carrying me somewhere. I rested my head against his chest, enjoying the feel of his cotton shirt against my cheek.

Slowly he set me down, making sure that I had my balance. First, the earmuffs were removed and then the silky black blindfold hit the floor. I gasped, "Oh, Edward..."

 _ **Edward**_

"Oh, Edward..." She gushed. Bella turned around and wrapped her thin arms around my neck. She didn't even have to lift on her tiptoes for once, the heels that Alice and Rose had her in gave her a good four inches. "It's perfect. How did you..." she trailed off, looking around.

"I have my ways." In all honesty, I had spent all afternoon, with the help of Jasper and Emmett, to make the room look like that. There were literally hundreds of roses in every shade scattered around the room in different shaped crystal vases, much like our wedding night, but all over the house. There were also candles of every shape lighting the room. That was the only light, giving off a lovely glow.

"I was so worried that you had thrown me a party or something," she laughed in relief, a bright smile spread over her perfectly painted red lips.

"Oh, well, you didn't want one? Damn, I guess I'll go tell the hundred people in the back it's time to go," I teased her, placing a kiss on the tip of her nose. "Isabella, I know you far better than that. Besides, I like my bed and I want to continue sleeping in it, with you of course."

"Well, you've been known to go a bit too far at times," Bella smirked at me, playing with the collar of my button down shirt.

"Me? No, never," I chuckled. She giggled in return, a soft glow covering her cheeks. I lifted her up a little bit, my arms around her waist, raising her up so she was a little above me. I spun her around causing her to laugh even more. "You, Mrs. Cullen, are the most beautiful creature on the face of this planet, you know that?"

"Edward," she started in a contradictory voice, but before she could say any more I covered her mouth with my own. She moaned softly, her fingers twisting in my hair as the kiss deepened.

 _ **Bella**_

Of course, at that moment my stomach decided to growl loudly. Edward laughed, running his finger down my sides. "Your tummy has perfect timing. I didn't want to skip to dessert just yet."

"Oh, so what would be for dessert?" I said innocently, batting my eyelashes at him while he led me into the dining room.

"Well, you'll just have to see a bit later, now won't you?" He cooed into my ear, making me shiver. He was too much sometimes. I didn't know what I was going to do with him. No, that was a lie. I knew exactly what I was going to do with him. And it was going to be fun.

Waiting for us at the table was two plates of still steaming food. There was steak, baked sweet potatoes, rolls, and a chocolate cake in the center. Just like the year before. Everything smelled amazing. I was sure he didn't make it all, but it didn't matter. It was lovely. I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck, pecking his cheek.

"Oh, this is perfect. Thank you." I smiled at him as he pulled out a chair for me. I took it, crossing my ankles as I tried to get more comfortable.

Edward pulled out a bottle of wine, something I had grown to really like, from a bucket of ice. He popped the cork and poured us each a glass full. He sat down, taking my hand and kissing it.

"Well, if I had my way we'd be doing this in Paris or Rome. But, I knew you'd kill me if I did that."

"Ah, you do know me too well," I teased, taking a sip of my wine. It was a little sweet with a slight tang. It was delicious.

"Well, no matter how much I know you dislike it, I'm never going to stop give you presents," he told me, pulling a red velvet box from his pocket. It was long. I wondered if it was a necklace because of the shape. I wasn't sure, but I was sure it cost too much.

"Edward, you-"

"Shouldn't have. I know. Open it anyway." Edward pushed it in front of me.

I sighed heavily and opened the box slowly. I was simply amazed by what was inside. It was a charm sweet little bracelet. I knew what some of the charms meant, but others I wasn't so sure.

"Edward, this is lovely, but why a strawberry?" I asked.

He laughed a little bit, blushing to my surprise. "You smell like the sweetest strawberries to me. Your scent was one of the first things to attracted me to you." Edward took my wrist and carefully snapped the bracelet into place. It jangled, a twinkling little noise. "Let's see... The heart because you already know you have mine, a ring for my lovely wife, a birthday cake for the obvious. A truck, because I always want you to be connected to your past. It's what makes you what you are today." he explained, pointing out all the tiny little silver pieces of jewelry. "Oh, the music note because whenever I'm with you, I hear music."

"Oh really?" I asked, slipping into his lap. "What does it sound like?"

"Something like this..." He trailed off, pressing his lips to mine as his fingers played out an easy rhythm on my back. My heart began to race in my ears and I felt like I was about to burst.

 _ **Edward**_

It was hard to curb my desire for her. I wanted to lay her back on the table to take her right then, but that would ruin some of the surprises I had in the very near future. So, after a few long minutes of kissing and touching, I finally convinced her it was a good idea to eat some of our meal. It was getting rather cold.

"This seems very familiar," Bella commented while sitting on my lap as I fed her a bite of cake.

"Hm, just like last year," I leaned over a little bit, kissing the chocolate away from the corner of her mouth.

"Well, I hope it's not exactly like last year." She played with my hair, not looking in my eyes.

"Oh, Bella, trust me, the last thing that's going to happen tonight is a fight," I reassured her. I had never been so happy before. I couldn't think of a single thing to be upset about at that moment.

She smiled and pressed her lips to mine. "Thank you for a wonderful birthday."

"It's not over yet." I nuzzled her neck, kissing it lightly. "Is it bad that I got myself a present as well?" I asked.

"Depends on the present." She pulled back, one of her eyebrows raised. Bella had a tiny smirk playing on her perfect features. I knew the evening was about to become much more interesting.

"It's on the bed. Why don't you go tell me?" I asked, hopefully setting up the rest of the evening.

She cautiously got up from my lap and headed towards the bedroom without any more of my prompting. I watching her sexy retreating form, hoping that she won't get angry at me for my little _treat_.

I waited patiently for her reaction. The one I received was not the one I expected. Laughter could be heard echoing from the bedroom.

"Well, that's not what I wanted to hear," I mumbled to myself, finishing off my wine. I wasn't sure how to take it.

"So, is this the kind of gift you like?" She asked, coming in wearing the bright red lace teddy that I had bought from Victoria's secrets website. I forgot how to think, how to speak, how to breath. She was beyond breathtaking. I couldn't even think straight looking at her.

Nothing was hidden from view, her perfect body exposed for me to see, barely covered in the red lace. She was still wearing the red heels from earlier, making her already long legs look that much longer.

"God..." I breathed, unsure of how to finish that sentiment.

She didn't respond with words, but with a sassy little smile. Bella turned on her heels and glided back towards the bedroom, giving me a perfect view of her tempting ass. I finally remembered myself and hopped up from my chair. I caught up with her, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind. I began to kiss her neck furiously.

"I guess you like it then?"

I simply nodded, unable to think of any words to describe how incredibly sexy she looked. Also, my mouth didn't want to leave her delicious flesh. I pulled her hair away from her neck, spreading my kisses from her ear to the tip of her shoulder.

Bella stopped walking, moaning softly as her head lolled backward. My hands slipped up her stomach to cup her breasts as I did in the shower the morning. But unlike the morning, nothing on the face of this planet would be able to stop me from making love to my wife all night.

There was already music playing in the bedroom. I had put it on earlier for this exact moment. It was dimly lit in there as well with candles and flowers. We stopped in the doorway, Bella turning to wrap her arms around my neck. Our lips collided with a great force, my hands roaming her body.

I wrapped my fingers around the back of her thigh, lifting her up off the ground. Bella wrapped her legs around my waist, pressing her hot body against mine. We continued to kiss, her fingers finding her way to my shirt. I carried her to bed, laying her down gently. Bella had undone a few buttons, but I didn't have the patience to fiddle with them anymore. I tugged the cloth over my head and threw it to the floor.

I leaned back, observing the perfection that was my wife. She blushed brightly, biting her lip.

"See something you like?" Bella asked curiously, grinning.

"I don't know where to start... I want to touch, kiss, lick, suck, stroke every single inch of you, right this second. All at once."

"We have all night," she smiled at me playfully.

"You say that like it changes anything," I teased, leaning down. I brought my lips down onto the gentle curve of her breast. I worked my fingers over her hips, pushing the lacy fabric up. She moaned softly, urging me on. I let my breath flow of her chest, nuzzling the side of her breasts. Wrapping my mouth around one of her lace covered nipples, I sucked gently and earning a loud moan. She must have kicked her heels off because there was a loud clunking noise behind me, not that I stopped enough to really notice.

Bella hooked her feet around my waist, pulling me closer. "Edward, stop teasing me, I need you," she pleaded with me, her back arching as I moved to the other nipple.

"What happened to _'we have all night'_?"

"Take. Off. Your. Pants," she growled at me, her face completely red. "I need you to fuck me."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied with a smile. I stood up, kicking off my slacks quickly. Somehow she already had her teddy off. She was rubbing her thighs together, her desire more than evident in her wanton expression.

 _ **Bella**_

We had been teasing each other all day. I suddenly couldn't take anymore. I couldn't believe that such a crude command came from my mouth, but my hormones ran away with me. I couldn't be embarrassed by what I said either. I wanted him so badly that I literally began to ache.

I loved the way Edward looked at me. It almost seemed as if he was hungry and I was his supper. He licked his bottom lip, biting it for a moment before releasing it as his hot gaze roaming over my body once more.

I expected him to press himself inside of me, but of course, he had other things in mind. I wasn't sure how much I could take. He lowered his mouth to between my legs. With both of his hands, he spread my legs apart as far as he could. Slowly Edward began to drag his tongue over the soaked center of my thighs. I almost cried with the pleasure of it all. I leaned back, taking in a deep breath as sucked on a very sensitive part of me.

"Look at me, Isabella. I want to see your face," he said in a firm voice.

I bit my lip, opening my eyes. All I could see was his piercing green eyes as he continued to kiss and lick me. It was quickly becoming too much and it was a fight to keep my eyes from shutting tightly again.

"Edward, I'm-" I began, but was unable to finish.

Before I could even draw in another breath he was deep within me, standing at the edge of the bed as he leaned over me. I cried out in pleasure, feeling myself throb around him as I came. He hissed loudly, grabbing my thighs firmly to hold me in place.

He began to rock his hips back and forth. I wasn't sure how much more I could take. I was quickly becoming very sensitive but I loved the feeling of him inside of me. I brought my arms above me, trying to find something to grab a hold of as if it would actually help. My back arched off the bed, making him hit a sweet spot.

"Yes," he moaned loudly. "Bella, I want to feel you again. Please."

"I... I... don't know if I can," I breathed, feeling my body begin to tremble at his suggestive words.

Edward slid one of his talented hands between my legs and began to rub _there_. My world exploded in rich color. I literally screamed, my hands tearing at the bedsheets. I heard Edward's moan as he filled me.

After a moment he collapsed beside me. We snuggled close together, our foreheads touching as we tried to catch our breath.

"You're amazing, love."

"You're the one that did all the work," I giggled, kissing his nose lightly.

"Oh, that wasn't working. And, if it was, I'd love to have an eighty-hour work week," he chuckled, his hand gripping my hip tightly.

"I think one of us would die of exhaustion," I laughed softly, running my fingers over his jaw. He turned his face toward my hand and kissed it lightly.

"Then I would die a happy man."

"Edward, I love you. So much. Thank you for making tonight completely perfect for me," I breathed, suddenly feeling the emotion begin to flood my body. He meant so much to me and he would never know much so. I would die without him. He was my life.

 _ **Edward**_

"I love you too, sweetheart," I answered, gently pushing her onto her back. She honestly looked as if was about to cry and I wanted to make sure that it didn't happen. I moved on top of her, resting my hands on either side of her head. I was careful to keep my weight off of her delicate body. I gave her a quick kiss on the lips before asking playfully, "Bella, can you do something for me?"

"Anything. You know you don't even have to ask," she answered, her fingers tugging at the ends of my hair.

"Will you scream my name like that again?" I whispered into her ear, lightly kissing the outer shell of her ear afterward. I felt her skin heat under my touch.

We made love three more times that night. I would be surprised if either one of us could walk in the morning. I fell asleep with her nude body curled against mine. It was the perfect way to end the night.

I wasn't sure when the phone rang but I knew it was far too early, even if it was light outside. Plus, I was having a very good dream about me and my hot wife. I groped for the evil loud device blindly.

"Hello," I growled into the mouthpiece, not caring who it was.

"Good morning to you too, sunshine. Did I wake you?" My father laughed into the phone.

"Oh, hi Dad. Yeah, you did, but it's alright. What's up?" I asked, running my hand over my face. I searched for my glasses on the side table. I put them in front of my eyes, not even bothering to put them on to check the time. It was around ten already. I sighed, feeling a little guilty for snapping at my father.

"I'm sorry. Just wanted to wish my favorite daughter in law a happy birthday, but I'm betting she's still asleep, isn't she? I know Esme did yesterday for both of us, but I was working and wanted to personally."

Not only was she asleep, but snoring quietly. I put the phone up to her mouth for a second, just long enough for my father to hear.

"That would be a yes."

He laughed, "Well, I'll just have to call her back later. She'll probably get the gift we sent her on Monday. Your mother had the hardest time picking something out. You know how she is. She wanted it to be perfect."

"I'm sure it's great, no matter what it is. Bella and mom seem to have similar tastes anyway," I answered, setting my glasses back down. I wasn't ready to get up yet and as soon as I hung up with my father, I was going back to sleep.

"Well, I must say, you and I also have very similar tastes. In certain things," he said, being purposefully and stupidly suggestive.

"Dad, I'm going to keep my comments to myself," I laughed. I had about a hundred of them running through my head. Some of them were questions I probably didn't want to hear the sarcastic answer to. My father was never one to shy away from the subject of sex.

"That's probably a good idea. Anyway, I'll let you go back to bed. Tell Bella happy birthday from me and call us next time you get a chance. Have a good day."

"Alright Dad, love you."

"Love you too, son," he replied happily before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Bella mumbled into my chest. Her eyes weren't open and I could tell she wasn't really awake.

"The good doctor says happy birthday," I told her, stroking her hair gently. I was already starting to fall back to sleep myself. I was too warm and comfortable.

"Tell him thanks," she muttered before rolling over onto her side.

I rolled over as well, pressing my body to hers. We fit perfectly together. I felt as if I was in heaven, perfectly relaxed and happy.

"Okay," I whispered with a small smile, falling into a deep sleep once again.

 **Bella's birthday! Sounds like a good birthday to me.**

 **So, I'm going to take a couple days break from posting daily. My kids are going out of town so I'm going to take a mini vacation but I'll be back at it next week. Until then… could you maybe help motivate me with lots of reviews? That would be great :)**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	17. Chapter 17

_**Edward**_

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked for the millionth time that day.

"Might as well get it over with," Bella muttered quietly, her face pressed against the cool glass of the truck's passenger side door.

Normally I wouldn't have been driving since it was slightly illegal still, but in the condition my poor wife was in it was far more likely that we would crash... and die. I would rather get a ticket than a trip to the morgue.

Over the past week, Bella had been suffering from one of the worst colds I had ever heard. She couldn't stop sneezing and sniffling, it seemed. At first, I went with her request to not visit the doctor but as it got worse I decided to force her to go. It had morphed into a sinus infection and nothing less than a round of antibiotics and a shot of Celestone directly to the ass would cure. With surprisingly little arguing she accepted my offer to drive.

"I don't mind telling Alice to go-" I started but Bella cut me off before I could finish.

"If we don't do it now, she'll follow us to the house. And once I go to sleep, I'm not waking up," she said jokingly.

"You're sick though."

"And, she's stubborn. It's fine. I need to get out of the house," she sighed. "I promised her we'd be there."

It was about a week and a half before Halloween and Alice was planning her annual party. For some reason, we all had to be involved. Bella agreed to come to this little meeting of hers before she was sick. Sometimes I wished Bella wasn't so loyal to everyone. It was bad for her health sometimes.

"You sure?" I asked one final time as we pulled into Jasper and Alice's little house. I picked up her hand off the seat and kissed it lightly. "They'll get over it if we don't come."

She gave me a half-hearted little smile. "Yes, I'll be fine."

"Liar," I muttered as I climbed out of the car and rushed over to open the door for her. I took both of her hands, letting her slid out slowly. She stumbled, falling forward into me. "Bella..." I sighed but before I could get the full thought out I heard Alice behind me.

"Oh! There you are!" As soon as she saw Bella she stopped. "You poor baby! Come on inside and let's get finished so you can go home."

I opened my mouth to say something but my wife sent me a glare that could only be described as _evil_. My jaw snapped shut and I gave her my best innocent smile. I didn't want to get myself into trouble with her.

Alice cleared the couch, making Jasper and Emmett sit on the floor like children. Bella laid down, resting her head on my lap after I sat down myself. I stroked the back of her neck and soothingly ran my fingers through her hair.

Alice sat down on one of her armchairs, looking directly at me rather seriously.

"So, do you have any costume ideas?" She began.

I rolled my eyes. This was not my department. "Nope, sure don't."

She grinned wickedly. "Let me take care of it then."

Bella nodded her head and I shrugged. If Bella was fine with it, then it didn't matter to me. What was the harm in it?

 _ **Bella**_

I growled at myself. I let Alice do this to me. I agreed to it and now I was screwed. Just plain _screwed._ There was no way to get out of it. The party was in an hour and I was done up all except for my dress... if you could even call it that. It was more like a shiny shirt that showed off my breasts a little too much for my tastes, in public anyway.

So, I slipped on the blue satin _thing_ , careful of the hair and makeup that I had just applied. I zipped up the side and sighed as I gazed at myself in the bathroom mirror.

The heels were bad enough. But, with this dress... I wasn't going to make it through the night. I would end up beg someone for a pair of pants, shorts, or something... anything. With one more depressed glance, I made my way out of the bathroom, where I had locked myself to get ready. Edward was getting ready in the bedroom.

I pushed the door open and gasped at what I saw. He looked _delicious_. He was wearing the cream-colored suit that Alice had picked out for him, complete with jacket and necktie all to match. His eyes were closed, his glasses perched low on the end of his perfect nose, as he worked on his tie. He looked good enough to eat. I watched his reflection in the mirror that hung on the closet.

"Wow... Edward, you look... _hot_. There is no other word for it."

His eyes snapped open and his skin flushed as he heard my words. I think I caught him off guard. He turned slowly to look at me. As he took me in his eyes grew wide, as did his smile.

"My, my... you look stunning my little devil in a blue dress."

I bit my lip, my skin flushed in turn. "Edward, I-"

He cut me off before I could insult my appearance, something he hated. "There is just one problem," he said seductively as he stalked towards me.

"What's that?" I asked as his arms went around my waist.

"I don't think we can leave the house now," my husband purred as he began to place hot open mouthed kissed along the nape of my neck.

"Why is that?" I asked breathlessly, my head lulling back to give him better access.

"You look far too tempting," he replied as his hand grazed the underside of my breast through the silky dress.

"Let's stay home then." I grinned. "You can have your way with me..." I trailed off, giving him my best sultry smile.

He suddenly picked me up, my legs automatically going around his waist. I could feel his stiff erection against me. It felt amazingly good. It had been almost a month since we had... _been together_. Between school and my earlier illness, it just wasn't happening. That day had been the first time in a long time that I had felt up to it at all. He apparently felt _up_ to it, too.

He kissed me wildly, his hand firmly holding the back of my neck. As best I could I ground myself against the front of his pants, trying to get the friction I needed so badly.

"Hey, guys! You ready to go?" Jasper called from somewhere in the house. I nearly screamed in frustration. I had forgotten that he had volunteered to be the designated driver so everyone in our little group could have a good time. He was supposed to pick up us and Rosalie and Emmett, too.

I slid my legs to the floor, my heels clicking against it as I landed. Edward sighed heavily, running his fingers through his beautiful copper hair. He looked just as frustrated as I felt.

"Coming!" I yelled in return so he wouldn't come looking for us.

"If he'd leave we would be..." Edward mumbled under his breath dejectedly.

I smiled at him over my shoulder, winking playfully. I was honestly trying not to laugh. I knew exactly how he felt. He growled playfully, his eyes glazed over with lust. I swayed towards the door, wiggling my hips before making a mad dash to the living room so he couldn't attack me as he wanted it. I could almost guarantee that we were going to have a good time once we got home.

 _ **Edward**_

People were already starting to arrive by the time we got there. Alice squealed loudly when she saw us, nearly knocking me over when she hugged me. As it was, I had to adjust the stupid golden halo on the top of my head.

"You look great!" She said, clapping her hands like a happy four-year-old with a new toy.

"Bella looks great. I feel like a dork. An angel? Really?" I sighed.

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Come on! It is cute. Devil and angel. You guys go together. You've got to admit it's better than last year."

I was my turn to roll my eyes. "Thankfully, I didn't see that one and there is no evidence of that ever being on or anywhere around my person. Thank you very much."

I heard Bella giggle behind me. "But, you did look good in that goth sort of way. I wouldn't mind seeing it again. Though, you do look better this year."

Grinning at her, I tugged Bella towards the dancing crowd before Alice could make any more comments about how I looked. I felt self-conscious as it was.

"As long as you like it, that's all that matters," I whispered in her ear as my arms snaked their way around her beautifully curved hips.

We danced for about thirty minutes before Bella said she was thirsty. I was happy to get her something. I liked being able to do things for her on my own. I went over to the snack table, leaving her in the company of Alice so they could chat. Jasper was standing by and he handed me a clear cup. The contents were the oddest green color I had seen yet.

"What is this?" I asked as I brought it up to my nose. It had a citrus-y smell to it.

"Margarita Punch. Alice made it from something she saw off the Internet."

I took a sip cautiously slow. It was slightly tart but sweet. "Not bad."

"Don't drink it too fast. It has a kick to it."

"Dammit, woman! Would you listen to me!" I heard Emmett shout at a rather angry looking Rosalie. I wasn't that great with expressions, but that was one I couldn't miss. She was pissed.

"This won't end well," Jasper muttered mainly to himself. "She looks like she's going to punch him."

Rosalie's lips moved furiously fast and I couldn't hear what she was saying, but Emmett looked really annoyed himself. I turned to Jasper. "You're probably right."

"Would you shut the hell up for ten seconds! I'm trying to ask you to marry me!" Emmett shouted almost directly into Rosalie's face.

The room went dead silent. It was actually a little bit funny how everyone turned to openly stare. I had to admit I was one of them. I felt really bad for Emmett, even if he was being an idiot.

"Five dollars says she tears him a new one," Jasper whispered to me.

I scoffed, "I'm not going to take that bet."

"Yes! Yes! Of course, I will!" Rosalie squealed as she jumped into his arms She was practically trying to eat his face off as she kissed him.

"Well, I'll be damned," Jasper laughed.

Bella walked up beside me and I handed her the plastic cup that was in my hand, still too in shock to get anything out. She giggled at my slack-jawed expression.

"I can't believe it. Do you see what I see?"

"Yeah, that Rosalie has shockingly low romantic expectations," she teased.

"I was in a hospital gown., I offered, trying to defend my stupid friend at least a little bit.

"Yes, after seeing me for the very first time," my wife replied with a raised eyebrow, challenging me to top that. "And you didn't yell at me first."

"That's true," I shrugged.

"Hey, guys! I'm getting married!" Emmett laughed, spinning around Rose who was still in his thick arms.

"Congrats," I chuckled at his stupid expression, not sure what else to say.

"We need to make a toast or something." He looked around the table for a moment and snatched up a bottle of some kind of golden liquor. "Tequila shots!"

 _Famous last words..._

I resisted at first, but after he insisted we all took one. And, then he informed us that we needed to toast Bella and me, then Jasper and Alice, since we were all going to be 'old married couples' as he put it. After a few shots and a cup or two of that punch that Alice had made, I was feeling pretty loose as was Bella. Somehow it had progressed into body shots and then...

Bella laughed loudly as we stumbled into the house after paying the cabbie. Everyone was far too loaded to even consider driving, even Jasper. I had no idea what Bella was laughing about, but I found it pretty funny too until I looked at her. God, she looked sexy in that dress. I grabbed her and nearly slammed her against the front door after I locked it behind us.

"Someone's frisky," she teased, her hands going into my hair as I kissed her neck.

"I'm not frisky. I'm horny," I muttered as I kissed down her collarbone. I took her hand and placed it on the hard-on I had been sporting most of the night, it would seem. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her and once I started licking salt from various parts of her body it all went downhill from there.

"You are horny..." She purred sexily, groping and rubbing me through the pants. I groaned loudly, wanting her to do more. As if Bella could read my thoughts she turned and pressed me against the door. She slid down my body, making sure that her breasts pressed against my chest as she sunk to her knees. "My poor baby... I'm sorry it has been so long," she said with full pouty red lips as she undid my pants, tugging them and my boxer briefs down to my knees.

She wasted no time in taking me in her mouth, sucking and licking me for all that she was worth. It felt so good. I wove my fingers into her hair, unable to keep my hips from bucking upwards. Bella moaned, holding on to the back of my thighs to keep balanced.

"That's it..." I moaned, my head falling back against the door as she continued to bob up and down on me. And, then she pulled away. "What...?" I panted, frowning.

"Don't want the evening to end too soon," Bella teased as she tugged my underwear and pants up, simply doing back the button.

"You evil tease," I growled, turning her quickly and slamming her back against the door. "See how you like it..."

I sunk to my knees and yanked down her panties in one swift movement, pulling them over her heels and tossing them across the room. I threw one of her legs over my shoulder, holding onto her firm ass to keep her from falling over as I attacked her with my tongue and lips.

She gasped at the sensation, her hips grinding themselves against my waiting tongue. Bella tasted so good to me. She was soaked and getting wetter by the moment as I sucked on the tiny bud between her fleshy thigh with my hands rubbing her ass hard.

Bella cried out, panting my name. I loved that sound. I wanted to hear it more. Screw trying to tease her. I wanted her to scream. One of my hands slid up under her too short dress and grabbed one of her lovely breasts. My tongue continued it's assault, making sure to lick every possible spot I could find so that I buried myself in her wet folds.

I could feel her juices run down my chin as she came violently on my face, screaming the entire time. She yanked my hair back hard, panting and flushed. "Edward..."

I growled as I kissed up her body over the dress. It was getting in the way. I grabbed the hem and tugged it upwards. I could hear a ripping noise, but I didn't care. All I cared about was the fact that she was not wearing a bra under the thing and was now standing in front of me in nothing but those sexy blue heels, and the silly little devil horns still in her hair.

 _ **Bella**_

I don't know exactly what came over Edward as he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. I squealed, laughing the entire time. He slapped me on the bottom, the moan that escaped my lips surprising even me. When we got to the bedroom he set me on my feet. When I was balanced I attacked his lips, my hands working off his annoying clothes.

"Like it when I spank you?" He grinned at my eagerness.

"Yes," I replied honestly after I got his shirt off. I kissed my way down his chest, only to be stopped by him.

He spun me around, bending me over so that my hands were keeping me up on the bed while still standing. Edward moaned as he appraised my current position, his soft hands running over my back and ass.

"Do you really?"

"Yes," I said again, a little breathlessly. I felt his fingers probe me for a moment before he slapped my ass, _hard_. I groaned, closing my eyes. "Yes..."

"Do you like it when I'm rougher with you?" He asked with another pop.

"Yes!" I nearly shouted, feeling my knees go weak.

"God, Bella. I miss you. I want you so badly. I love this view of you. I'm going to fuck you senseless tonight. I promise you won't be able to walk in the morning." With those words he spanked me again, this time making my knees buckle a little bit. Luckily all I ended up doing was going to my elbows on the bed.

He had never ever said anything remotely like that to me before. I loved it. It was so completely sexy. I wanted him. I wanted him so badly that I would beg if I had to. But, apparently, I didn't have to beg. With almost no warning he slammed into me from behind, burying his thick length in my overly wet body. _When did he have time to get undressed?_

I screamed out in pleasure as his hands gripped my hips hard, pounding into me over and over again. Every once in a while he would spank me again, causing my skin to sting pleasantly.

"Yes! Yes, Edward!" My screams were muffled by the bedspread, my face buried in them. I couldn't move. I didn't want to. I just wanted this wonderful sensation to continue.

I heard Edward hiss behind me. "I'm going to cum soon. I want you to, too. Please, Bella, cum for me again, love."

I cried out, unable to stop myself. I loved out of control Edward. I knew I was drunk, too. I didn't care. I had never been drunk before and I think I liked it. I loved what it did to Edward. If he would do this to me every time I would keep a bottle of tequila by our bed.

After a few more erratic thrusts he spilled over inside of me. Slowly he pulled away, much to my disappointment. Even though I had just had two of the best orgasms of my life, I was still very much in the mood. So I stood, turning slowly and grinned.

"I'm not done with you yet."

 _ **Edward**_

"I'm not done with you yet," she said right before she shoved me hard onto the bed. Bella licked her lips for a moment, her eyes raking over my body. The next moment she literally jumped on me, straddling my waist.

I laughed loudly, my hands going to her hips. I looked down. "I think _it_ may disagree with you," I said, pointing as I did.

She rolled her eyes like I was being stupid. "I can fix that."

"If you say so." I smiled, just happy to have her warm little body on top of mine.

Bella grinned and took my challenge. She kissed, licked, sucked, and nipped every inch of flesh she could find, her creamy wet thighs sliding down mine as she worked her way downwards.

"Shit..." I groaned as she took my sensitive, semi hard already, length into her hot mouth.

Okay, maybe she could fix that little problem. Her mouth, hands, tongue, and sexy breasts could fix just about any problem with me at that point though. When she got me to the point she wanted, Bella slid back up but this time running her slick hot center over my now extremely painfully hard erection.

"Promise to do that to me again," she said firmly as she forced herself down on me hard.

"Do what?" I asked stupidly, throwing my head back, enjoying her movements.

"Promise to be rough with me. Fuck me hard," she answered, bouncing up and down forcefully.

 _ **Bella**_

He smiled widely at my request, his hands sliding up from my hips to my breasts. He gripped them both firmly, kneading them roughly with the palms of his hands. I threw my head back, rocking back and forth on top of him. This was heaven.

"Oh, love..." Edward whimpered. "I am so sensitive. I don't think I'm going to last very long."

"I don't care. This is amazing. Just lay back and enjoy it," I said with a sharp movement of my hips. He groaned loudly.

Edward held onto my breasts for dear life. The bed was crashing over and over again into the wall with a loud thud. It was so sexy to see him like this... His mouth hanging open as he panted, his eyes shut so tightly that they were crinkled around the edges with his beautifully long coppery eyelashes against his flushed and sweaty cheeks. His back arched sharply off the bed, his head and his hips the only thing still on the bed. "YES! Oh, Bella!"

I felt him jerk inside of me, sending hot liquid through my body. I shrieked, gripping his hands on my breasts, which he squeezed even harder. I shuddered violently, my heart racing. My entire body throbbed with the power of my own orgasm.

I finally stopped, still on top of him as I tried to catch my breath. Edward laughed breathlessly, grinning wildly.

"Bella... that was- I mean, wow. You are-"

"Very tired," I giggled. I flopped down on top of him and then he pushed me gently so I was laying beside him. Edward draped his arm over my waist, snuggling close to me. "I love you," I whispered before kissing his chin lightly.

"You, too," he mumbled, already almost asleep.

I had wonderfully vivid dreams that night. Most of them were sexual and all of them featured my wonderful husband. When I awoke in the morning I was laying on my stomach, the cool air hitting my back with my face shoved deep into the super soft pillows. I was a little sore, but I was tingling pleasantly. I felt his soft fingers dance over my skin.

"Oh, no. What have I done?"

 **This is a longer chapter because I rearranged the next chapter some because I feel like it helps with the flow some. I didn't change anything, just in which chapter it's in… if that makes sense?**

 **A little drama coming up. It's a throwback to the books.**

 **Reviews are motivation! Please send lots.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	18. Chapter 18

_**Edward**_

 _So, this was a hangover_ , I thought stupidly as my eyes fluttered open. They violently protested the light that was filtering into the room. My head was pounding and my mouth was dry. I was sore all over, but mainly around my.. _. lower regions._ That I could understand. I rubbed the heel of my palm again my eyes, realizing I wasn't wearing my glasses and had no idea what I did with them the night before.

I didn't want to wake up Bella yet so I searched for them blindly, swatting my hand around until finding the metal and glass on the side table. Apparently, I wasn't so far gone the night before that I didn't know better to do that.

Flashes of what happened the night before danced through my mind. The party. The awful proposal from Emmett to Rosalie. The drinks. The massive amount of liquor. Half of which I had licked off of Bella's body. I groaned, she would probably be embarrassed about that now that she was sobering up. She hadn't drank as much as me, but she had enough to let go.

And, then the rest of the night came into my mind's eye. Us, together... Her, bent over the bed then her riding me like that. I felt myself grow hard and twitch, causing me to hiss in pain. I looked under the sheets to see that I was slightly bruised. I frowned, hoping that I had not hurt Bella any.

I looked over to my lovely blushing bride. Her hair was splayed everywhere, her body pressed down into the mattress. The sheet was barely covering her backside. But, that's not really what I noticed. I noticed the bruises that were on her hips. I moved my hands over them gently, examining them. I knew what bruises looked like. Bella was clumsy, but I had not seen them so big or such a deep purple. And, they were in the shape of my hands.

"Oh, no. What have I done?" I breathed, feeling my chest start to constrict. I grabbed the sheet and shoved it downwards. Just as I thought. Bella's ass was black and purple in spots. This woke Bella up and she rolled over, confused by what I had just done.

"What's the matter, Edward?" She asked, completely naked in front of me so I could see the damage I had done.

I gasped when I saw her breasts. Tiny, deep purple, bruises were scattered around the edges of the normally creamy white mounds. The bruises on her hips were worse from the front too, I noticed. Her lips were swollen as well.

"I'm so sorry," I said, trying to suck in a breath. It wasn't working. My heart was going a million miles an hour.

"For what?" Bella asked, her lovely brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Y-you, I hurt you. I am so sorry. So so sorry."

"Edward? What are you talking about? I'm fine." Bella frowned, her lips turned downwards sharply.

"Look. Look at your body. Look what I did to you. I was too rough. I hurt you. I am so sorry," I said, feeling my eyes start to fill up with liquid.

Bella looked down and her mouth formed a little O. Gingerly she ran her fingertips over her breasts and then looked up from me. "Edward, I feel fine. I'm just a little sore. You know that I bruise easily."

"But, I did that." I began to cry.

She sighed heavily. "Edward, I think you may be a little drunk still."

I shook my head violently. No. I was completely sober. Shockingly so. "I promise I'll never drink again. I will never hurt you again. I am so sorry."

"I enjoyed it! Edward, I begged you to do it. There is nothing to be sorry for," she said softly, touching my cheek with a gentleness I didn't feel I deserved.

I pulled back sharply. I sat back against the headboard, letting the bars dig into my back. I deserved my punishment. Any punishment. I placed my hands over my eyes so I couldn't see her. I didn't deserve to see her either. I didn't deserve to have her. She was my angel and I hurt her.

I felt and heard the bed creak as she shifted. Bella slowly sat on my lap, straddling my waist so she could face me with the cotton white sheet wrapped around her tightly. She pulled my hands away from my face and I shut my eyes tightly, shaking my head.

"Edward, look at me. You're acting insane."

"I don't deserve you," I mumbled through my tears.

"Okay. No more tequila for you," she sighed heavily, stroking my hair.

I shook my head again and wrapped my arms tightly around her waist. I placed my face on her chest, letting my tears flow freely from my eyes. She held me to her body, rubbing my back soothingly. My head throbbed violently, my whole body aching.

"I am so sorry..."

 _ **Bella**_

He treated me like glass after that. I thought that maybe after his hangover cleared up he would relax and realize that he was overreacting. That didn't happen. If anything, it just got worse. Edward refused to touch me in any way until the bruises faded away, in any sexual way that is. I felt like I was being punished. I hated that he was doing this to himself.

I eventually forced myself on him. It was pretty pathetic actually. I dressed in that little teddy that he bought me for my birthday and crawled into bed.

He sighed heavily. "Bella, please. Don't torture me."

"What? I might as well get some use out of it," I said, sticking my chin in the air. I was sick of his little pity party.

"Please," he whimpered, his eyes closing tightly. I could see the erection that he was trying so desperately to hide under the blankets. I knew he missed me and what we did together. He had to. I know that I did. Desperately.

"No," I stated simply as I sat on his lap. "I want my husband."

That night I kissed and touched him all over, showing him that I still loved him and I wanted him. I didn't think that he did anything wrong. I had to reassure him of that. He made love to me that like he never had before. He was so gentle and slow like he was treating me like a china doll. Edward desperately caressed and kissed every place that was bruised before.

I thought that night would change his treatment of me. That he would relax. I was wrong again.

So, when I started to feel sick the day of our flight to Forks, my birthplace, he was extra gentle with me. Which was annoying the hell out of me, honestly. Though it occurred to me that if he was blind he would have never ended up feeling guilty, I wasn't that cruel. I loved that he could see. I never would wish anything like that on him. It made me just as angry at myself for even thinking it.

I held my stomach with my head on his shoulder as the plane started to take off. Edward stroked my hair gently, brushing his fingers through it.

"You should go to the doctor when we get back."

"It's probably just nerves. I don't like flying that much," I said quietly, my eyes closed.

"I just don't want you to suffer," he said softly in return, kissing the top of my head.

"I'll be fine in a few hours once we land. I'll be fine, sweetheart."

He shook his head but didn't argue with me anymore. I could feel his concern and tension in his still body.

"I love you, so so much," Edward whispered into my hair.

"Edward, I love you, too. Can you do something for me?" I finally glanced up at him, his green eyes meeting my own.

"Anything. I will do anything you want," he said, holding me tighter to him. I knew he meant it one hundred thousand percent. He would do anything I asked, desperate to show his love and devotion to me. I knew my request wasn't a simple one.

"Relax."

 _ **Edward**_

 _Relax._ It seemed like it should be such an easy task. _Relax! Ha,_ I laughed at the thought. It wasn't possible. I hated myself. But, I could tell I was making her unhappy. She was right. I was going to make her suffer longer if I acted like this. I knew that, but I couldn't seem to stop myself.

So, I stayed quiet the rest of the flight just trying to think of what I could do to make her happier. That's all I wanted. Bella fell asleep quickly in my arms, still clutching her stomach tightly. I didn't want to wake her when the plane landed, but I had to.

"Bella, my darling, we're here," I whispered in her hair.

She looked up at me with wide sleepy eyes. Bella groaned loudly, stretching. "Already?"

"Yes, already." I chuckled. She was adorable with her tiny sleepy pout.

She smiled slightly at me and lifted up, lightly kissing my cheek. I kissed hers in return and then helped her to her feet. Bella stumbled but caught herself before she fell. She was obviously drunk with sleep.

The terminal was crowded with the traveling holiday tourists as we made our way through, but it was still easy to spot Chief Swan in the crowd. Especially since he was waving frantically.

"Bella! Edward! Happy Thanksgiving!" He said cheerfully.

"It's not Thanksgiving yet." Bella teased, hugging her father gently.

"Ah, it's just a couple of days away." He waved her off. Her father shook my hand with a small smile. "How's it going, Edward?"

"Good," I told him, looking down at my feet. I felt Bella touch my arm and I looked up in time to see her give me a small smile. I gave her a small wink and her smile grew. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

 _ **Bella**_

I hated the long ride from the Seattle and it was made even worse by my sensitive stomach. I tried to not show it, so as not to worry Edward, but I know it did. My dad didn't seem to notice as he happily chatted away in the front of the cruiser though. It was giving me a little bit of a headache.

"I was thinking that we could go to the Lodge for Thanksgiving dinner and-"

"Ugh! No, dad! I'd rather cook!" I complained with a heavy sigh.

"But, you're a guest! I don't want you to have to cook," he said sheepishly.

"I'm not a guest. I'm your daughter. Why don't we run to the grocery store on the way home and we'll pick up somethings for me to make."

"Bella, I couldn't make you-"

"You wouldn't be making me do anything! Come on, Dad! Think about it. I could pick up a little ham, some sweet potatoes, a salad, rolls. Maybe make a green bean casserole and buy a pie. It wouldn't even be that much work and it would be far cheaper and taste so much better. And think of the leftovers," I urged him. "I know how much you love leftovers."

"Only if you're sure, kiddo," he sighed heavily in defeat.

"Yeah, totally. Besides, I can make you do the dishes, Dad," I teased lightly.

So, once we hit town we ran up to the small grocery store. It wasn't huge but it had enough for our needs. But, as we roamed the aisles my stomach began to roll. Much to my disgust, I burped and it tasted like hot sulfur.

Edward touched my back, looking at me with concern in his eyes. "Honey? Are you okay?"

I shook my head and turned to my father. "Where is the bathroom?"

Charlie looked confused for a moment then finally pointed towards the back of the store. I made a mad dash towards it, leaving them both behind.

 _ **Edward**_

"Bella!" I called after her, not knowing what to do.

"What's wrong?" Charlie turned to look at me, concern in his eyes.

"She was feeling sick on the plane. I don't think she's gotten over it yet," I told him with a soft sigh. "Would you mind getting her something for her stomach? I wouldn't know what to get her and I want to check on her."

He nodded his head quickly and went off with the cart while I headed in the direction Bella ran. It wasn't hard to find the restrooms and I could hear Bella retching loudly on the other side of the door. There were a couple moments of silence and just when I was about to go in there to check on her I could hear the water running.

She emerged, her face red and her cheeks puffy. Bella had been crying. I nearly ran to her. "Bella! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I guess I'm just not over my motion sickness from earlier."

I frowned. It was a weak excuse but I gave into it. She was getting sick again and was fighting it. She didn't want to be sick on the holidays. I hugged her tightly and she rested her head on my shoulder.

"Hey, kiddo! I got you something that should help your tummy troubles there. Why don't we get you home?"

Bella nodded weakly, letting me lead her to the checkouts and the car. Even though the ride to her childhood home was short she fell asleep against my shoulder once again. I really hoped for her sake it really was just the flight that took its toll on my sweet bride.

 **A little bit of drama over the holidays.**

 **Reviews are motivation! Please send lots!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	19. Chapter 19

_**Edward**_

Staying with Charlie was slightly awkward. Especially since I was sleeping on the couch while Bella slept on the bed like we weren't even married. But, Bella didn't want to upset her father by staying at a hotel, so whatever she wanted, she got. Though, it was nice to see the cute little school pictures of her. She thought she was gawky, ugly even. I just made me realize that she was always lovely. It gave me a nice little glimpse into the future with how our children may look.

Her stomach seemed to calm down, but I noticed that she was downing ginger ale and saltine crackers like they were going out of style. I kept an eye on her, but I didn't say anything. It didn't seem to be getting worse, at the very least. I knew I was getting on her nerves with the over worrying and I wasn't about to bug her about it. If she didn't complain, I wasn't going to annoy her with my concern.

The first full day we were there Charlie took us to the local Native American reservation to hang out with his friends. They watched football and drank beer, basically all day. I just sat there, uncomfortable. The women refused to let Bella do anything, claiming she was a guest and they would not allow her to work. So we decided to take a walk on the rocky gray beach not far from the house. We both needed to get away from the cramped space.

"It's so different," I commented, wrapping my fingers around hers as we moved down the beach.

She shrugged, "I like it, even if it is too green."

I chuckled, "too green? It is beautiful. I think it's too gray though," I commented as I pointed out the overcast sky. I hadn't seen the sun in two days.

"That's just Forks." She shrugged absently. Bella wasn't looking at me, or even really around her. Her lips were curved down slightly in a frown.

I sighed heavily as I looked her over. Bella seemed so unhappy and I hated it. "What's wrong?

She shook her head, looking far off towards the ocean. I growled at her lack of answer and tugged her towards a fallen bleached white log, pulling her down to sit with me.

"Bella, talk to me!"

"Is there something wrong with me?" She asked suddenly, not looking at me as she did so.

"What?" I asked, confused. Was she talking about her stomach? I wasn't sure.

"Is there something wrong? Am I messed up for enjoying that night so much?" Bella looked down at her feet, tugging at the hem of her oversized blue parka.

"No! Of course not! There is something wrong with me for hurting you!" I answered quickly.

"But, you didn't really hurt me, Edward," she sighed. I knew she was getting tired of this conversation. We already had it already so many times. I guess we needed to have it again though.

"Then why were there bruises the size and shape of my hands on your beautiful breast and ass?" I asked in a crude hiss, still upset with myself.

"I give myself bruises all the time!" She tried to defend me. I couldn't take it though. I wouldn't. What I did was wrong.

"Not on purpose!" I shouted, louder than I expected. I was glad no one was around us.

"So, you gave bruise me on purpose?" My fearsome little wife shouted back, standing up quickly. Like she had to get away from me. Maybe she did. I knew I had been pushing her away.

"Of course not! I love you. You're too precious..." I trailed off in a whisper. I was so ashamed of myself, for hurting her then and for making her upset for so long.

"Honey...I believe you! Why don't you believe yourself?" She asked back in the same whisper I had used.

"Because even hurting you accidentally is just so wrong!"

"I'm not made of glass! Edward for the last time: you did not hurt me. You didn't do anything I didn't enjoy!" She replied, glaring at me with such passion in her eyes that it was almost painful. "I begged for it."

"I know that," I sighed.

"Do you? Because I don't think you do," Bella said quietly, turning her back to me with her arms crossed over her chest tightly like she was trying to hold her heart in. Like it would all come tumbling out if she didn't. I wanted to hug her as tightly as I could.

I stood and walked up behind her. I pushed the hair away from her neck and kissed it lightly. "I just feel guilty, Bella," I responded as my arms went around her waist. My embrace was gentle, just enough to press us together.

"You have no reason to be."

I laid my face against the back of her shoulder. "You might think that but it doesn't change anything."

She suddenly turned in my arms. "Would you do anything I asked?"

I rolled my eyes at her, almost dramatically. "You know the answer to that. Of course, I would. I am your slave if you so wish it."

"Do it again."

"What?" I asked, my eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"Do. It. Again," she demanded in a strong voice.

"I can't do that!" I said, pulling away from her as if she had shocked me.

"You _just_ said you would. You just said you would do anything I asked. That you were my _slave_ ," Bella said the last part mockingly. I had never heard that tone from her before, but I knew she was getting tired of my theatrics and was now responding with her own. I didn't blame her for them. I had it coming and so much more.

"Anything. Anything, but that!" I pleaded softly. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"Then would you at least stop treating me like I'm porcelain... _Please_? I'm not about to break if you touch me."

"I'm just so afraid that I am going to lose you, Bella," I said in a soft voice, so soft it was barely above the whisper.

"You will never, ever, lose me. But, you have to relax. I want you. I always will. I love what we do together, whether it's making love or..." She trailed off, her skin flushed brightly.

"Fucking senselessly?" I offered for her in a small laugh, all the stress finally getting to me. I needed to let it go. I knew her words were true and I relaxed slightly. I just needed to see her smile again.

 _ **Bella**_

I flushed even more so when he said that. But, it was an apt description. "Yes," I smiled, looking down at my boot covered feet.

"You would really want me to treat you like that again?" Edward said, his voice still quiet as his cheeks flushed a bright red.

I took a step forward, putting my hands on his shoulders to make sure I had his full attention. "In a heartbeat. Right now. Against this tree!" I grinned wickedly at him. I meant every word of it.

He threw his head back in laughter at my silly little smile. It was a real laugh, too. I hadn't seen him laugh like that in a very long time. It made me smile.

"You're ridiculous," he commented.

I pressed my parka covered chest as firmly as I could against his, though I doubt he could feel it through all our layers. "You can't tell me it isn't a little appealing."

"No," he laughed a little with his answer, "I can. It's frickin' cold. Something of mine would freeze and fall off. No. No, thank you. I'll stick to a nice warm bed and soft sheets."

I tugged him roughly and pressed him again one of the nearby trees. "Maybe when it's warmer?" I offered, leaning in to suck on his jawline, right below his ear.

He groaned, leaning his head back and taking a long unsteady breath. Edward's fingers wove into my hair, holding me in place. His other hand slid into the back pocket of my jeans, squeezing me tightly. I moaned softly at the sensation, enjoying being like this with him again.

"Mm, your stomach must be feeling better," Edward commented absently as I continued to lavish his neck and chin with attention.

"Mhmm," I lied. It wasn't horrible, but the rolling in my gut let itself be known every once in a while, at the worst times I might add. I didn't feel bad at the moment, but I also knew it wasn't gone yet. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I hit a particularly sweet spot and he growled loudly, his hand on my bottom tightening its grip. I groaned in return, pressing my hips against his. His fingers dislodged from my hair and went directly to the other cheek. He picked me up, turning us so that I was now the one pressed against the tree. My fingers went to his hair, forcing his mouth to mine.

Our tongues tangled for several minutes, his hips grinding against mine. My legs wrapped around his waist, wanting to be as close to him as humanly possible. I really did want him to have me against the tree.

We pulled back at the same time, panting and heaving for some much-needed breath. I was sure we were both red-faced, but what stood out the most was his glasses. I giggled, pushing them upwards to rest on the top of his head. They were useless at this point anyway since they were all fogged up.

He grinned, placing a small kiss on my lips. He seemed so much more relaxed than before. I couldn't be more happy about that.

"We should probably head back," I informed him with a tug on his jacket. "Before they think we've gotten lost and send out a search crew. We don't want them to catch us like this."

Edward groaned loudly, his head falling back. "I don't wanna," he whined like a child.

"But, we gotta," I teased.

"Let's go find a hotel instead," he said hopefully.

"Edward!" I chastised playfully, swatting his chest.

"What?! It was worth a try!" He defended himself, pouting a little bit playfully.

 _ **Edward**_

I was so glad that this trip was over with. The area was beautiful and the food was good, but it was hard to ignore how absolutely awkward the relationship between Bella and Charlie was. I felt bad and felt blessed all at the same time that I was so comfortable with both of my parents. I knew when it got down to it, I could talk to them about anything. Bella didn't seem to have that with either one of her parents. But, he clearly loved her dearly, even if he didn't know how to show it.

I looked out the plane window, watching the passing clouds. Bella begged me to switch with her, claiming that the sight made her stomach roll. I hated that her stomach was upset again, but I was glad that I could see this. It was amazingly beautiful, bright and so open. But, with not exactly a lot to focus on. It gave me time to let my mind wander.

I hoped that my children, or any person really, didn't feel that awkward around me. I am sure sometimes they did though. I was different and I knew that. It didn't really bother me too much though. I couldn't change that. But, I could be as open as possible. I wanted people to see me as a person they could confide in.

One of the reasons I liked music so much was that it connected me with other people so easily. They could feel what I felt when I wrote the song. It was a shame that there were so few music classes in schools anymore.

But, there were so very few good teachers, so it wasn't a huge surprise.

Over the past couple of months, Bella and I had been working on the piano together, simply in passing. Only once or twice a week, if we had the chance. But, the improvements I saw were amazing. Bella said it was because of me, but it helped that she was such a good student.

I loved those few moments we had together. I loved seeing her grow and expand. I liked myself when I was working with her like this. I was more patient, calmer. I was happier.

"Penny for your thoughts," Bella asked as she took my hand into her tiny one and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Do you think I would make a good music teacher?" I blurted out before I really had time to think about it.

Bella smiled lazily, squeezing my hand again. "Yes, I do."

"Maybe I could finish getting my degree in music and then get my masters in education?" I said, thinking out loud to myself.

"Would you like to teach younger or older kids?" She asked, laying her head on my shoulder as we talked. I loved that she was actually interested in this. I knew she just wasn't humoring me.

I had never thought about getting a higher education than what I was before. It was an amazing thought and it wasn't nearly as scary as it would have been before. It was nice really. I loved it.

"Older, I think. College level, I guess. I mean, I like Irina and all but there should be more good teachers out there,." I told her, answering her question from before I got lost in my thoughts.

"It's perfect for you," she whispered, lightly kissing my cheek afterward.

"You think so?"

"I do." She smiled, sincerity written all over her beautiful face.

"I think you'd make a good teacher as well," I told her honestly.

She scrunched up her nose and shook her head. "I've been thinking about something, but I didn't know how to tell you about it," Bella said as she bit her bottom lip. Sometimes I worried that she would hurt herself when she did it, but I always thought it was adorable. She had no reason to nervous, Bella knew that. I gave her hand a gentle reassuring squeeze before turning to look directly at her.

"What? You can tell me anything, you know."

"I know... Well, you know I've been writing lately, right?" I nodded my head in understanding, wanting her to continue. "I really enjoy it. And, I think it's decent. I would like to get it published if I can. But, I don't have a lot of time to work on it. If I had more time, I think it would be better."

"We spend so much time on me and-" She put her hand on my lips to stop my talking.

"No. I love doing that with you. But, I've been thinking and I think I've decided to look into it. I mean getting published. And, if I take these five classes next school year I could go ahead and get my associates so that way I would have more time to work on that. I could always go back and continue my education later."

"Oh," I replied, not really knowing what else to say. "Whatever you want to do, my love."

"You don't think it's a bad idea?" Bella asked nervously.

"No, not at all. I'm just surprised. I just want you to be happy. And, I know you'll be published. You're a fantastic writer." I smiled at her.

"Getting published is the easy part. Getting people to buy it is hard," she replied a bit sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

I chuckled, "you'll have to stop my parents and yours from buying a couple hundred a piece to pass out to every single person they see."

Bella flushed red at the very thought. "You don't think they would do you?" I raised an eyebrow at her, causing her to groan loudly. She knew I was telling the truth.

" _My baby is a writer_!" I teased in a girly voice. "Charlie will go around Forks and La Push and force people to buy it at gunpoint."

She stuck her tongue out at me, causing me to grin. Bella knew I was teasing and smiled back. I leaned in and slowly kissed her, running my fingers through her luscious brown hair. I deepened the kiss for only a moment and pulled away. I lightly kissed her forehead, letting my lips linger for a moment. She sighed softly, laying her forehead against mine.

Bella pulled back, a devilish grin on her lips. "Professor Cullen. That's kind of hot."

I rolled my eyes. "Get your mind out of the gutter."

"But, Professor Cullen," she said a little too high pitched, batting her thick eyelashes at me. "I think I need some private tutoring."

It wasn't until I felt her hand on the inside of my thigh did I realize what she was doing. I felt her squeeze, causing me to jump and harden at the same time. As soon as she felt the reaction she removed her hand, giggling slightly to herself.

"You're screwing with me, aren't you?" I groaned, adjusting myself as quickly as I could since we were still on the plane.

"It's what you get for teasing me," she said, raising her chin in the air.

"So mean," I whined.

She pressed her full lips to my ear, her warm breath spreading over my skin as she spoke. "mm, Professor you may need to punish me when we get home."

"Dammit," I sighed, leaning my head back against the headrest of the seat. Just hearing her talk like that, her sweet breath over my flesh, made me harder. Bad thing was that she knew it. "How much longer until we land?" I asked, looking at Bella with pleading eyes. I was pathetic and I knew it. I didn't care.

"Two hours," she said rather smugly.

" _Dammit_." I moaned again.

 **We're heading into the holidays. The fun is just about to start…**

 **Reviews are motivation! Send lots, please!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

_**Bella**_

Another month flew by and my stomach did not feel any better. I was almost positive it was those damned pills. What else could it be? I was also tired and cranky, not that I tried to show it around Edward. I didn't want to worry him too much but my friends were another story. I was sure I was getting on their nerves, especially right at the moment.

It was the final fitting before Jasper and Alice's wedding. I was ready to have it done with. I was glad to have a break from school at least. The day before was my last final of the year. Though Edward had his final lesson that night, that's not the test I was worried about.

"So, he's going to get his license, huh?" Rose asked, already knowing the answer. "You nervous?"

"Extremely." I sighed, pulling my top back on. They had to refit the bust of my dress and it took me longer than everyone else to get done.

"Ed's a good driver." Alice smiled at me reassuringly.

"I know. I'm more worried about the car he'll buy," I answered honestly with a little shrug.

"He still hasn't told you what he's he's picked yet?" Rose giggled.

"No," I growled. "He said he wants it to be a surprise. Jasper, Emmett, and Edward are going to pick it up after the test if he passes."

"Let him have his fun," Alice said as she put on her shoes. "This is so big for him."

"I know, I know," I relented. "I just hate surprises."

"You're so weird," Rose said, shaking her head like she was regretful. I imagine she would have had a lot of fun with Edward's money. She always loved playing with his credit card when she got the chance.

I stuck my tongue out at her, huffing as I grabbed my purse. Alice decided it was time to step in before this turned into a real fight.

"How about lunch?"

"No, I can't. I have a doctor's appointment in a couple of hours," I informed them. "If you don't mind dropping me off at my place first?"

"Not at all. What's it for?" Alice asked.

"To get me off these damn cranky pills," I said dryly.

"Thank God!" Rosalie laughed.

Alice couldn't help herself, " _Amen_!"

I was just about to flip them both off when my phone rang. I stuck my tongue out at each of them and answered it before they could say anything back, "hello?"

"Hey, baby!" Edward said brightly. He never called me baby and he sounded a little too confident in himself, for the moment at least. That could only mean one thing.

"You got it?"

"Yes, ma'am! I did! You still at the dress place? I'd like to pick up my beautiful wife in my new car," he chuckled happily.

I hated to burst his bubble, but I had to. "Actually, we're about to leave."

"Oh," he said, sounding a bit deflated at my words. "That's okay. I'll see you at home then?"

"Yeah, you can give me a ride tonight," I said, trying to lighten his mood.

"I bet he can," Alice giggled, causing me to slap her shoulder. "Hey! Don't hurt the goods!" She said sourly as she rubbed her shoulder.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay. I love you. I'll see you in a little while," Edward said, pulling the attention away from my friend.

"Love you, too," I replied before ending the call.

 _ **Edward**_

I hung up the tiny silver phone with a sly smile as I leaned against the hood of my brand new beautiful silver Volvo. Emmett teased me about being a nerd, but I loved it. Also, it wasn't too overboard which was a good thing when it comes to Bella.

I stuck my phone in my pocket and waited. I knew I wouldn't have to wait too long. Which was a good thing since I was practically hopping in place. I tried to keep myself still, but it didn't work. I felt like Alice.

Just a minute later Bella emerged, flanked by Rosalie and Alice. Bella stopped dead in her tracks, her pretty little mouth hanging open widely. But, like always, I could count on the girls for their comments.

Rosalie catcalled, "sexy."

"Thank you," I answered playfully, wiggling my eyebrows at her.

"I meant the car," she snorted.

I smiled innocently. "I know."

"How does it feel to be a driving man?" Alice asked, running her fingers daintily over the silver hood.

"Nice," I admitted with a slight blush. I pushed myself off the door and walked towards Bella. "What do you think, love?"

"It's not-" She said in a strangled voice, stopping herself suddenly. Bella shook her head and blushed brightly for some reason.

"What?" I asked with a laugh. "If you don't like it, I can always get something else. You won't offend me."

"No!" She said quickly. "I just thought that maybe it would be a Porsche or something like that," she muttered the last part so quietly and quickly that I had trouble understanding her.

"What's that?" I asked, wrapping my arms around her tiny waist.

"You go overboard. It's just your way," she began to defend herself needlessly. Though, it was pretty funny to watch her dig herself a little hole. She was right though. I did go overboard. "I thought you'd get something like a Porsche like Alice has. A sports car at the very least."

"I know you. I know you would never enjoy riding in something like that. So, I decided to save that for my midlife crisis," I teased her with a tiny kiss on the cheek.

I ushered her to the passenger side door, opening it for her with pride. "See you later, ladies," I said with a smile.

"Bye Edward!" They chorused, their voice full of giggles.

"Have a nice ride, Bella!" Rosalie called with a small wave and a wink.

It was hard not to miss the scowl on her face, but she didn't say anything. I decided it was best to ignore it, for a then at least. If she wanted to inform me of what was pissing her off, she would. Besides, it was between Rosalie and Bella. I didn't want to get in the middle of that catfight.

The ride was completely silent and it was just us which was almost rare. I could actually hear myself think for once. The quiet purr of the Volvo made Bella's truck sound like a jet engine taking off. I had to bite my tongue to keep from telling her that. The last thing I wanted was to start a fight that day. I was in far too good a mood.

"What do you think?" I asked as we pulled into the driveway.

She unbuckled my seatbelt then her own and leaned over, placing her thin arms around my neck. "I think that I am very proud of you."

"Oh, you like my car purchase?" I teased, leaning in closer.

"That too," Bella giggled, playing with the small curls at the back of my neck.

I leaned forward and lightly kissed her neck. I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "You know, I have three hours before I leave for class. Maybe we can start our private celebration a bit early," I said with a wicked little smile.

"Private celebration, huh?" She smiled, but only slightly. "As much as I would enjoy that, I have an appointment today."

"That's right." I sighed. Bella had mentioned it before but was rather vague on what it was for. I assumed it was some wedding thing for Alice that I wasn't really supposed to know about. Alice had a lot of surprises for the day. "Want me to take you?" I offered.

"I'd like that, but it may take a while. I need to take a shower and get going," she sighed heavily.

I pouted a little bit but nodded. "Later then?"

 _ **Bella**_

I swung my legs back and forth waiting for the doctor to come in. At least I didn't have to wear a gown this time. I still hated being there though. As long as I felt better after, that was all that mattered.

"Mrs. Cullen, how are we doing today?" The doctor said as she came in, glancing over my chart and not even bothering to look at me.

"I feel like crap," I muttered sourly. "These pills are worse than the last," I said, my voice accusing. Like she did it on purpose.

She frowned slightly, writing something down. "Tell me exactly how you feel, please?"

"Tired. Cranky. A little sick to my stomach." I said, listing off my basic mood for the past month or so. Maybe even longer. I hadn't felt all that great since before Halloween almost. It had just been one thing after the other.

"When was your last period?" She asked as she started with the basic list of questions every doctor have to ask.

"Right before Thanksgiving," I said, after a minute of thought.

"How would you describe that period? Heavy? Light? Normal?" The doctor asked, continuing to scribble on the flimsy manila folder.

"Light, just spotting." I shrugged. That wasn't so uncommon for me, especially while on the pills.

"How long did it last?"

I sighed heavily, getting annoyed with this line of questioning already. I just wanted her to fix the problem. "Three days, a little less."

"Alright. Well, I want you to go down the hall to the bathroom for me so we can get a sample of urine," the doctor said as she handed me the tiny plastic cup.

"Whatever the problem is just pee in a cup. It solves everything," I muttered to myself as I hopped down from the table. Thankfully the doctor ignored my comment. I knew I was being rude, but I didn't care in the least.

I did what I had to do and came back, handing the sample to the woman who I was rather annoyed with at the moment. She took it to the counter and pulled out a small dropper. She applied a couple of drop to the white piece of plastic she had set up while I was gone.

"Positive," she said almost instantly.

"Excuse me?" I growled, already getting angry for some reason.

"Your pregnancy test is positive and rather quickly I might add. That means the hormones are rather strong," she explained, waving her hand in front of the plastic.

"How the hell did that happen?!" I asked in shock.

The doctor looked a little taken aback by my harsh phrasing. "Are you sexually active?"

"Yes," I sighed, rubbing my forehead. Of course, I was sexually active. I was married. She already knew that.

"Have you taken your pill daily?"

"Yes," I rolled my eyes. I was pretty good about that. I had never even accidentally taken one late. I took it every morning after breakfast. I was responsible.

"Have you taken any antibiotics in the past three months? "

"Yes..." I trailed off quietly, feeling like an idiot as soon as the words left her lips.

I was pregnant. I knew it was true as soon as she asked it.

"So, it is a major possibility then. I'm going to draw up some blood and I'm going to do a little more in-depth testing. If you'd like you can stick around for the results or I can call you when they come in," she offered.

"How long does it take for them to come back in?" I asked, looking at my watch. It was already 3:30. Edward would be heading to school in just a few minutes. I wasn't ready to face him and tell him yet. I wasn't sure how he would react to this news. I knew he liked kids and wanted to have them one day. But, so soon? He had just figured out what he wanted with his life. So had I. What was going to happen with all of that now?

"About an hour," she said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"I'll wait," I whispered.

 _ **Edward**_

"Edward!" Irina said brightly as I came into the classroom.

I smiled warmly at my friend. "How are you?"

"Sad," she said with a small pout, her accent thick. Her thick pretty eyelashes fluttered as she looked up at me with her blue eyes.

"Why?" I asked, my eyebrows knit together. I didn't want my friend, any of my friends, to ever be sad. I remembered my thoughts on the plane and how I wanted to be the kind of person people could confide in.

She put one arm around my waist, giving it a little squeeze. "Because it's our last lesson together! I will miss you."

I chuckled, "Irina, we will see each other around. We're friends now."

"It not the same," she sighed. "I will miss our talks here. They're my favorite."

Over the past three months, Irina and I had formed an interesting relationship. We had a lot in common. Both of us sort of feeling like we were strangers in a strange land, and though it was for different reasons it helped us bond. It was nice to talk to someone that understood that.

"I will, too," I told her honestly. She was always so eager to listen to me and our conversations. I felt that she was a good friend to have.

"We should talk about happier things! How was your test? Did you pass?"

I couldn't help but smile proudly. "I did."

She giggled, clapping her hands in delight. "That's wonderful! Do you know what kind of car you'd like to have?"

"I already bought one."

"You already bought one?! So quick, Edward! You must show me!" She said bouncily. Irina grabbed my hand and started to drag me towards the door.

"What about our lesson?" I laughed at her eagerness. "The final?"

"You passed! You're better than me, by far! Take me for a ride, Edward," she said with her mouth in a playful pout again.

"Alright, alright!" I relented, still chuckling.

I showed her to my car, pulling out my keys. The small parking lot was just outside the music building. I pulled the door open for her like a gentleman.

"Oh! It's beautiful! I love it!"

"Thanks," I smiled at her proudly. I knew I was smiling like an idiot but I didn't care. I was so proud and so happy with myself.

We drove around for about forty-five minutes, just talking and listening to music. It was around 5:30 when we finally pulled back up to the school. We discussed her having dinner with Bella and me that night but she had to work on some paperwork and had another lesson at 6:30.

"We'll do it another time then," I said. We were just sitting in the car now, parked in front of the school. I was eager to get home to my wife so we could start our celebrations for the evening. I was very much looking forward to them.

"I'd like that," she said softly, her voice distant. Like something was bothering her.

"What's the matter?" I asked as I rested my head back against the leather rest, my face turned towards her.

"I really will miss you, Edward," she said, her voice slightly broken. She sounded as if she was about to cry. I hated that.

I took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I will, too. But, as I said, we will see each other around. I promise we will have dinner together or go to the movies-"

She did something then that I never expected her to do.

Irina kissed me.

 **Remember… trust me? HEA. I swear. Y'all gonna be proud of both of them.**

 **Reviews are motivation. Send lots, please?**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Bella**

Positive. I was pregnant.

And, not just a little bit by what the doctor thought. If I thought about when I was on the antibiotics, and the only time we were together during that time, it was really easy to figure out when it happened. Halloween. Before then I was sick and after that Edward was afraid to touch me for weeks.

Well, it wasn't our most romantic bout of loving making, that's for sure. It certainly wouldn't be a story we would be telling the kids when they were older. I snorted at the thought of it as I drove home from the doctor's office.

" _Hey, kids! You were conceived on Halloween. We were hammered beyond all reason after hours of body shots and your father plowed into me like a..."_

I could just imagine the round of _ewwwing_ now. Comical, almost. I wasn't really in a laughing mood though.

I wandered mindlessly into the house, barely feeling my feet. A baby? Was I ready for a baby? Both my head and my heart screamed yes and no at the exact same time. I had never been more confused in my life.

I went to the kitchen and went to the fridge. The first thing I saw was a half drank bottle of white wine. I sighed heavily. I grabbed the bottle and drained it down the sink. I never needed a drink more in my life and I couldn't have one. I didn't want the temptation there.

Instead, I poured myself a glass of juice and downed one each of the iron and prenatal vitamins that I had picked up from the pharmacy on my way home. The vitamin was a horse pill and the iron made my stomach flip. I hoped that I got used to them.

I wandered back to the living room and sat down heavily on the couch. A _baby_. What a world. I was going to be a mommy. I was married. And, I was going to be a mommy. And I wasn't even twenty yet.

It all hit me like a ton of bricks.

I was too stressed and scared to think right then. I glanced at the clock. _5:30_. Edward would be home soon. And, we were supposed to be celebrating that night. I had to tell him. I wasn't sure if it would make things better or worse. Would he be happy and it would add to the joy or would he angry? I had been on birth control after all. We hadn't been planning on starting our family yet and that part of it was my responsibility. And I failed.

Would we be celebrating two things or would he use that pretty brand new Volvo of his to run for his life?

I wasn't sure and it scared the hell out of me.

 **Edward**

She... kissed... me. _She kissed me!_ Irina, my friend. Had I ever given her the impression that I would want this? I asked her to dinner, but with my wife and myself. My wife. Bella. _Oh, god.._.

It took a few seconds for everything to click together. As soon as her warm little hand touched my neck, trying to pull me in closer, I snapped out of my shocked filled haze. I pushed her back sharply while still trying not to hurt her.

"What?" Irina asked, her pale skin flushed and glowing, even in the darkness. She was still so close to me. Too close.

"I'm married!" I sighed the words, stating the obvious. I was having trouble finding my voice, still too surprised.

"I know."

"And, you know I love her. I love Bella." I stated firmly. I didn't want to hurt my friend. Was she confused in some way? I tried to think of how. I had gushed to her about my wedding, my honeymoon, my lovely little wife. I did all the time.

Irina turned her face away. "I realize that."

"Then why?" I demanded, feeling more than a little angry. The heat began to crawl up the back of my neck. I was actually beginning to sweat. Why would she put us both in such an awkward position?

"You said you would miss me!" She shouted suddenly.

"Yes! Because you _were_ my friend! Nothing more, Irina!" I shouted back.

"Tell me you don't find me attractive then!"

It was my turn to turn my face away. I was embarrassed and angry at myself. I would not admit to her that I did find her attractive. That wasn't the damn point. "I love Bella."

"You do then!" She said with bright satisfaction in her voice. Irina had to know how she looked. Even I noticed how the other students looked at her.

"Irina, you're a beautiful woman! Of course, I do. That does not mean I would do anything to ruin my relationship with my wife. She is my world."

Her too warm hand slid up my thigh. "She would never have to know. We could-"

"No! We couldn't! We never could. And, I would know." I said, picking her hand up and moving it away from my lap.

"But! Ugh! You want me! I know you do!" She said desperately, her voice cracking.

"You're going to make me say it, aren't you?" I said, looking straight ahead. I felt so guilty. I didn't want to hurt her, but Bella came first. She was my friend, I didn't want to be cruel to her.

I never ever meant to lead her along. I would never do that. She knew of my devotion and love for Bella. I tried to tell myself that I had nothing to feel guilty about. It didn't quite work though. We had just gotten back to good after all that nonsense at Halloween.

"You want me!" She growled through her tears. "You do!"

Yes, she was going to make me say it.

"Irina, I don't. I don't want you in any way. Let me make this perfectly clear. I love Bella. She is the only one I will ever want. She is my everything and the simple fact that I would very literally die without her should be apparent to you now," I said in a rather cold tone. I hated it. I hated hurting her, even if it would end up hurting me in the end even more if I didn't.

"Edward!" She whined, touching my knee. It made me snap. How dare she touch me again? Why wasn't she listening to me?

"Get out. Get the hell out of my car!" I growled loudly, my tone final.

She sobbed, practically running from the car after slamming the door hard behind her.

I sucked in a deep breath and only one thought came to mind. I had to get home. I had to get to my wife. I had to tell her.

 **Bella**

I tried to get myself in a more cheerful mood. Edward deserved a good night. He deserved to have it unmarred by my freak out. He worked so hard for it. I would be pregnant the next day. Hell, I would be pregnant for the next seven months at least. One day of not telling him wouldn't hurt.

I heard the door crash open loudly, scaring me. I was glad I set my glass of juice down because otherwise, I would have been wearing it. The door slammed shut and I heard Edward call for me frantically.

"Bella? Bella! Where are you?"

"Living room!" I called. "What's the matter? Are you okay?"

He came rushing into the room, his eyes glassy and frantic with his bottom lip trembling. He dropped to his knees in front of me and took my face in his hand. He laid heavy wet kisses on my lips. "Bella, I'm sorry," he began to ramble.

Had the doctor called him for some reason? Why would she? Unless something was wrong? But, why would she call him and not me first? My mind began to race with questions. He didn't even know I was going to the doctor!

"Please, don't hate me," he whispered, pulling me out of my panic.

"What? Why would I hate you?" I asked, totally confused. This was not the direction I thought it was going.

"Something happened. I didn't mean for it to."

"Edward, what the hell is the matter?" I sighed, exasperated with his cryptic pleading. I wished more than ever I could have that half bottle of wine I put down the sink.

 **Edward**

I didn't know where to start. I looked into her deep brown eyes and saw that she was starting to get angry. I needed to get it out before I made matters worse.

"Irina kissed me."

"She what?!" Bella seethed, jumping off the couch to her feet.

"I didn't mean for it to happen! I swear it," I said, jumping to my feet as well to follow her wherever she went.. "She just kissed me! I didn't want her to."

Bella's hand shot up, shutting me up. "When?"

"What?" I asked stupidly.

"When did it happen?" Bella growled. She literally growled. It was rather scary honestly. "When did Irina kiss you?"

"Just now. Less than thirty minutes ago. I swear."

She sighed heavily, her voice strained, "Edward, I believe you."

I grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. "I love you. Only you."

"Sweetheart, I know," she said as she pulled her hand out of my grip. It literally broke my heart. I wanted to crumple to the floor.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my throat constricting tightly as tears began to well up in my eyes.

"I need to be alone for a little while. I need time to think. I'm going for a drive," Bella said as she grabbed her purse from the coffee table beside her glass of juice.

"Please, don't go," I whisper as she walked out of the door. But, it was too late, she was gone.

 **Bella**

 _When it rain, it pours_ , I thought to myself.

 _That bitch!_ I was literally seething. I had never been so angry in my life. I wouldn't be surprised if steam was coming out of my ears at that point literally. How could she do that? Anyone who knew Edward knew he was married. He bragged about it constantly. He was so proud of our marriage. Of us, of me.

No, I wasn't mad at Edward. But, I needed time. It was just too much at once. I climbed into my truck and brought it to life. I had no idea where I was going. But, apparently, my truck did.

Only ten minutes later I was parked in front of the music building at Centenary. _Yes, it knows exactly where to go._

I didn't think as I stepped out of the truck. I just walked. I had never met Irina in person. I knew what she looked like in passing, though. I hoped she was still here. I needed to have a few words with her.

I moved towards the room I knew his lessons were in. I simply barged in, no knocking or anything. At the piano was a tiny blond, her back turned away from me.

She was alone. _Good._

"Irina?" I called, continuing to walk towards her.

She turned slowly, her eyes alarmed with this random woman bursting in through her door and shouting her name. "Yes?"

I took the last few steps quickly. I let my clinched fist go the rest of the way, connecting with her pretty little nose. She shrieked as she fell off the bench and then onto the floor. Irina brought her hand up to her face, trying to stop the blood flow.

"Stay the hell away from my husband!" I growled at her.

"You're Bella?" She asked with wide frightened blue eyes.

"Oh? Do do this to a lot of husbands? Do you have trouble keeping track?" I snapped. I fought the urge to kick her while she was down.

"No! I just-"

"You just what?" I demanded.

"I didn't think he'd tell you!" She tried to defend herself pathetically.

"Really? Then you must not know him very well. What give you the right to force yourself on him?"

"I thought he cared for me!" She shouted at me.

"He did! He cared for you as a friend. You took advantage of that!" I hissed at her, my fists tightly clenched at my sides as my anger surged through me.

"I thought t-that-" She sobbed brokenly, not getting the words out.

"Why? Why did you like him so much, huh? Because he's a good man?" Irina nodded her head, still crying very loudly. I hated her theatrics even more. "If he did that with you then he wouldn't be."

She shook her head. "I don't care. He's the only one that understands me!"

"But, do you understand him?"

"I'm the only one." She sobbed again. "He… he tells me-"

"No. No, if you did you'd understand how much you upset him. You hurt him, Irina. You'd know that he'd blame himself for this right now, even if he did nothing. Even though he came to me right away and told me everything. He's going to be the one suffering because of this, not you and not me."

"But, he said he would miss me!"

"Did he ever say that he wanted you?" I demanded harshly. "Did he say he wanted you to kiss him? That he wanted to be with you in any way at all? Before or after?"

"N-n-no... But, but-but..."

"Did he kiss you back?" I asked her finally.

Irina hung her head in defeat. She shook her head slowly and tried to continue, but I would not let her. "But-"

"No! No buts." I growled out furiously. "Stay away from my husband. I love him and I will not allow you to hurt him. He doesn't want you. He never did and never will. Do you understand me?"

I turned and began to walk away. I couldn't care less about her answer because it didn't matter. She didn't matter.

I heard her cry hard behind me, "I didn't hurt him."

"Then I was right. You never really knew him at all."

 **Edward**

I was a wreck. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if she would come back. I prayed that she would. I was nothing without Bella.

I watched as she drove away. I considered following her but like she said, she needed her space. The more I pushed the worse it would be in the end. I could not afford to make any more mistakes with her. I had made so many. Too many. Especially recently.

I flopped back onto the couch, kicking off my shoes hard. I rubbed my hands over my face roughly, just trying to think. I took my glass off and threw them on the coffee table.

"Shit! Shit, shit, shit shit shit..." I muttered to myself.

Could things never go right?

I stared blankly at the ceiling for I don't know how long. I felt completely useless. I felt like a complete idiot, too.

When I heard the tell-tale sound of her truck, I leaped from the couch and ran towards the door. My socks caused me to slide, slip, and fall. I was scrambling to get to my feet as the front door opened.

"I'm sorry," I started before she could say anything.

"Edward! Edward, are you okay?" She asked, stepping into the house. Bella shut the door behind her, locking it securely before hurrying over to me with concern written all over her puffy tear-stained face.

I nodded and grabbed her up in my arms. "Bella...I...I..."

"Edward," she sighed softly, resting her head on my shoulder as she pressed herself against me.

"I would never ever hurt you on purpose and I promise-" I stuttered, burying my face in her neck as I spoke.

"Edward! Shut up. Geez." She pulled on my hair, forcing me to look at her. Bella had a small smile on her face. "I know."

"But-"

"Shut. Up! I _know_. I love you and I trust you completely. I'm sorry I had to leave. I just needed a few minutes to myself to clear my head. It's been a really long day already. I needed to be alone but I'm not mad at you. I never was. I swear."

I looked into her eyes and saw that she was being completely sincere with me. I didn't know how, and I didn't know why, but I did not care. I lowered my lips to hers and kissed her softly. I needed to forget the memory of Irina's lips on mine. I needed to kiss my wife.

Bella smiled slightly with she pulled away, playing with my hair at the back of my neck with nails. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you," I sighed, kissing her forehead.

She started to tug me towards the living room. I let her do whatever she wanted with me. Bella pushed me down on the couch and sat on my lap, hugging my neck tightly. We sat there for a long while, just holding and kissing each other lovingly.

"You okay?" She asked softly after a while.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I breathed out softly. "You scared me to death," I admitted to her weakly.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled as she looked down at her feet.

"It's okay. Where did you go anyway? Did you just drive around?"

"I went and punched that bitch in the face."

Well, that wasn't the answer I was expecting.

I snorted, thinking that she was joking at first. Bella shook her head, her lips pushed together tightly. Finally, I said, "you _didn't_!"

"I wasn't planning to! I just ended up in front of the school and in the music room..." She trailed off. I started to laugh despite myself, rubbing my hand roughly over my face. I didn't know what else to think or do. "What?" Bella finally asked.

"Well," I began, "at least we have bail money."

She slapped my shoulder but laughed as well a little. Bella buried her face in my neck and sighed, "wouldn't that just be a perfect way to end today."

 **Well, that was a stressful day…**

 **Reviews are motivation! Please send lots!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

_**Bella**_

That night we held and kissed each other, but nothing more. Neither of us was up to it. I knew Edward would never do that and he knew I believed him. He was a good man.

And, he would make for a good father.

If I didn't scare him off, that is.

That was my biggest fear through all of this. It swirled in the pit of my stomach, souring my every thought about it. I didn't know how he would react or how he would feel about all of it. I was too afraid to tell him. I was too afraid he would leave me.

"He's a good man," I repeated to myself out loud as we got ready for Alice's wedding.

"Who is?" Alice asked as she squeezed herself into the corset she had bought to go underneath her dress. _Jasper would have a hell of a time getting that off later tonight_ , I thought absently.

"Edward," I said softly, looking down at what I was doing. It was amazing how much concentration putting on pantie hose took. I slipped each foot in carefully, trying my best not to fall over.

"Of course he is," Rose said happily as she adjusted the clip in her hair. She had already finished getting ready, about an hour before us. "Speaking of which, I should go check on them."

Rose was acting as Alice's watchdog for the day. I felt sorry for anyone who got in her way. She wanted everything to be perfect for her best friend. It was kind of sweet, in a scary sort of way. I wasn't sure how many people she had already yelled at that day and I was afraid to find out, to be honest. I was honestly a little surprised I wasn't one of them yet.

Rosalie practically danced out of the room as if she was floating on air. It was obvious that she was in a good mood, even with her yelling duties. Maybe, actually, because of them. She enjoyed them. It was also obvious that she was dreaming about her own wedding day. When the door shut behind her Alice turned to me, concern coloring her eyes.

"What's wrong, Bella? Is something going on between you and Edward? Things have been weird."

I bit my lip and considered telling her about Irina, but I decided against it. Knowing Alice there would be a dead body to hide in about thirty minutes and that would be without the help of Rose. I didn't want her to miss her own wedding. Or at the very least get blood on her pretty dress. It would be impossible to get out.

"I just have something I need to tell him and I'm a little worried is all," I said, not really wanting to give anything away. It was Alice's day, not mine. I was not going to spoil it with my mood or my news.

"Bells, are you pregnant?" Alice asked with a small and sweet knowing smile.

"How do you-" I started but she raised her hand up to stop me.

"Sweetie, please! Bad mood, foul stomach, and a newlywed. What's the conclusion you come to?"

"Pregnant," I sighed.

"So, you're scared about how he's going to react?" She asked as she clipped on her earrings.

"Wouldn't you be scared?"

She shrugged lightly. "Edward loves you," Alice stated simply.

"And, I love him. But are we ready for this?"

"Bella, you two have gone through a lot this year. Do you think any of it changed how you felt for each other?"

"No," I replied honestly, "but this is different."

"How so?" She pressed.

"This is going to affect the rest of our lives!" I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face warily.

"And, getting his sight back isn't? Or, moving in together? Or, getting married?" She replied calmly. She could see I was on the edge already. Her words left me speechless so Alice continued. "Bella, Edward loves you no matter what. You know that. He may be a little freaked out at first, but in the end, he'll man up and you'll both be happy about it. I mean, you did want kids, didn't you?"

"I just wasn't expecting this right now. Yeah, later I did." I sighed, sitting heavily on one of the chairs.

"Just think of it as putting your plans on the fast track. But no matter what, you need to tell him soon."

"You're right..." I trailed off.

She giggled softly, "of course I am."

 _ **Edward**_

I had gotten better at telling expressions, but I was not perfect at it. But, I would be able to tell Jasper's expression in the dark. It was one of total fear.

He sat on the couch with his head in his hands. Jasper was taking slow and steady breaths through his nose and releasing it through his mouth. It appeared that he was about to have a panic attack. I needed to distract him.

"Nervous?" I asked, my tone slightly amused.

"Yes," he answered, not even bothering to look at me. He was probably going to get annoyed at me for being slightly sarcastic but it would distract him. I decided to take a more supportive route instead.

"Marriage is not something to be afraid of," I told him honestly.

Jasper looked up slowly. "Marriage is fine. What I hate is being in front of all those people. I feel like I'm a performing monkey."

"I'd say you look more like a penguin," Emmett joked as he pulled on his socks. He looked rather strange since he wasn't wearing any pants as of yet.

"You have no room to talk," he snapped. Oh yes, he was on the edge.

"Aren't you cranky, penguin boy," Em said sarcastically with raised eyebrows.

Jasper opened his mouth to snap back but there was a loud banging on the door. I thanked God for the distraction. I think Jasper might actually hurt Emmett that day if he went too far.

"Thirty minutes guys!" Rosalie shouted from behind the wooden chapel door.

"Thanks, baby!" Emmett shouted back, his eyes daring Jasper to start something.

"Do you need anything?" Rosalie called back.

"Anti-anxiety pills," Jasper muttered to himself.

Before Emmett could repeat it to his girlfriend, I answered, "thanks! But no, we're fine!"

"I don't see why you are so nervous," our idiot friend commented as he tugged on his pants.

"Just you wait! Rosalie will want a bigger wedding than Alice. You'll be nervous, too. And I'm going to make fun of your ass, too," Jasper replied, his mood dangerous.

I shot Emmett a glare, willing him to shut up. He did, shrugging his shoulders to finish getting ready. I went back over to the window and we stayed in silence until someone knocked on the door again.

"Ten minutes!"

"Showtime," I said, offering my friend a hand up off the couch.

"I'm going to throw up," he moaned as he stood.

Emmett began to chuckle to himself. I had to admit he did look pretty green.

"You won't be sick," I tried to reassure him. I mean, I really hoped he wouldn't be sick. I didn't want to watch that. I had enough of Bella throwing up over the past couple of months.

"I sure hope you're right," Emmett muttered in my ear as we walked out the door and towards the altar, reflecting my thoughts back at me.

 _ **Bella**_

The ceremony was beautiful. In classic Alice style, she was hopping in place the entire time. Jasper was grinning like a fool, though he looked like he was about to pass out. Though, through the entire thing, my eyes were locked on Edward's. He was smiling slightly, his head cocked to the side. He seemed in a dream world, completely happy.

It scared the hell out of me. I was a nervous wreck.

We were now sitting in the reception hall. Rosalie had already made her maid of honor toast and then it was Edward's turn, as Jasper's best man. He took the mic slowly, looking rather nervous and cleared his throat.

"Jasper was the first person I met when I came to school. He accepted me for who I was and it made me feel welcomed in this new world. And, he talked to me like a normal person, something not too common at the time... Anyway, in the very first real conversation, we had he talked about his amazing girlfriend, Alice, and how much he loved her. He knew then that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this wonderful woman. But, who could blame him?" Edward smiled at our friends. "And because of him and his beautiful and energetic partner, I met my happiness, my own lovely wife, Bella. I owe you both so much and I sincerely wish you both a long and happy marriage. Thank you both for including me in your lives. You are both great people and I feel truly blessed to know you. So, here's to Jasper and Alice. Congratulations."

The crowd drank and clapped as Edward sat beside me. I leaned over and placed a small kiss on his cheek. "You did great," I whispered in his ear.

"Thanks," he smiled slightly. "Want to dance with me?" Edward asked, nodding his head towards the dance floor.

I shook my head. "Maybe later," I said to appease him. I knew he liked to dance but I wasn't sure I was up for it.

And that's how it was most of the rest of the day. We did dance a couple of times. Edward even danced with Rosalie and Alice, making them laugh and smile while he spun them around. He was in an amazing mood.

Rose caught, or rather, wrestled for the flowers just for the chance to be the next one to be married even though she was already engaged. Emmett, on the other hand, ran like the garter was toxic. Some ten-year-old cousin of Jasper's caught it, much to Rose's displeasure. We; Edward, Alice, Jasper, and I thought it was quite funny though.

The day seemed to fly by and before I knew it it was just the four of us, Em, Rose, Edward and me. And, the cleaning crew. They had a small radio on, filling the space with soft music.

I slipped my heels off under the table and relaxed in the chair. I knew we would have to move at least most of the gifts into the Volvo and I was not looking forward to it at all.

"Do you think you can handle one more dance or will your feet object?" Edward teased as he offered me his hand.

"Edward..." I whined a little bit and pouted but he gave me his most charming smile. I sighed in defeat and took his hand. "One dance. That's it."

"That's all I'm asking for," he told me as he twirled me towards the center of the floor.

"It was a lovely wedding," I commented, one of my arms wrapping around his neck.

"I liked ours better." He leaned in and gave me a smiling kiss

.

"That's because there were only fifteen people there," I laughed.

"Oh, and I thought it was because I was marrying the most beautiful woman in the world." He dipped me back. Edward brought me up quick and I felt my stomach twist into a knot.

"Hey guys, we've stuck everything we can fit into the jeep. Do you think you can handle the rest of it?" Rose called from the doorway.

"Yeah, we got it. See you at the house," Edward answered back. I laid my face on his chest, closing my eyes as I tried to soothe my stomach. He, of course, noticed and lifted my chin so that I would look into his piercing green eyes. "You still don't feel well, do you?"

I nodded my head slowly, not really wanting to speak. He sighed heavily, "you need to go to a doctor. Better yet, have my father take a look when they get here tomorrow."

"Edward, I went to the doctor," I said slowly, my eyes falling to the floor. My stomach twisted harder and I felt for sure that I was going to be sick. I took a deep breath and swallowed the bile in the back of my throat.

"And?" He motioned for me to continue, concern coloring his every perfect feature.

"I kind of wanted to talk about this after Christmas..." I tried to stall.

"Bella, this is important. What's wrong?" He pulled back and placed his hands on my shoulders. "You know I'll be here for you no matter what and everything is going to be alright."

 _ **Edward**_

"Oh, nothing is _wrong_ ," she mumbled.

"Please, Bella, you're killing me here. What is it?" I pulled a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Nothing is wrong, so what is it?"

"I'm pregnant."

"What?" It felt like my heart stopped. Bella had tears running down her face and I wasn't exactly sure why. Was she worried I would be angry? How could I be? I could never be upset with Bella.

"I... I... I don't... " she began to stutter but I covered her mouth quickly with mine, kissing her passionately. I gripped the back of her neck with one hand, the other resting on the small of her back as I twirled her around the room.

"You're pregnant! That's... _Oh, my god!_ I'm going to be a dad!" I laughed and spun her around again.

In my excitement, I kind of got carried away and I realized how green she looked. I practically picked her up and carried her to a chair. I handed her a glass of water which she gulped greedily.

"You're not mad?" She panted.

"Mad? Why the hell would I be mad? Oh, this so amazing!" I lowered my face to her stomach and kissed it repeatedly. "How far along? Do you know?"

"Well, do you remember that Halloween party that Alice had? And, how we were dressed up like that and we..." She paused, a small smile on her face. "Um, well, _trick or treat_ ," Bella giggled.

I counted on my fingers like an idiot. The numbers didn't seem right in my head. "Really?"

"I just thought it was my new birth control I started taking that was making me miss my period and making me sick. I'm kind of stupid for not figuring it out sooner. I didn't want to bother you with my 'woman problems' so I went to the doctor," she said, a watery smile on her face as she began to cry again.

 _ **Bella**_

I went on with my little rant, only to be shut up by Edward's kisses. He covered my face in them, his expression was more excited than I had ever seen it before. He picked me up again and kissed me wildly. "I'm going to be a daddy!" He said proudly. "I can't wait to tell my parents," he said with a little laugh.

"Oh, I can just see it now. First, Esme has to plan the nursery and then the baby shower. She's just going to stay. You know, they just need to buy a house down here and retire. They're never going to want to leave this baby." I rubbed my hand over my stomach carefully.

"Our baby! I wonder if it's a boy or a girl. It doesn't matter. As long as it's strong, healthy, and beautiful like you I don't care! Oh, my lovely beautiful Bella. You're going to be such a good mommy," he gushed happily. He looked like a kid in a candy store who was just told he could get whatever he wanted.

I ran my fingertip carefully over his lips, smiling as I went. "Well, Mr. Cullen, I think you're going to make an amazing father."

"Mrs. Cullen, I think you're going to be the most beautiful mother on the face of this planet." He kissed my fingertips before kissing my wedding band. My sweet husband was crying a little, too. This was not how I wanted to tell him but it went far better than I ever imagined.

"I have one request, though," I said, pushing a lock of hair out of his eyes.

"Anything," he said dreamily.

"Can we not tell my mother until after the holidays?" I asked in a sweet of voice as possible. It was almost too amusing watching his expression go from completely overjoyed to completely terrified. Though Renee was civil to Edward, she was still not his biggest fan even after the surgery.

"She's going to kill me," he muttered under her breath with a sigh. Edward shook his head, probably trying to clear the murder scene in his head. He picked me up, bridal style, and walked me toward the door.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm going to take my beautiful sexy pregnant wife home and make love to her," he said with a bright smile.

"What about the rest of the presents?" I asked as I looked at the pile.

He placed me down for a second on my bare feet and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He dialed a number quickly before bringing it to his ear. "Hey Em, it's Edward, I really hate to do this but Bella isn't feeling well again and I was wondering if you could get the rest of these gifts. I know, _I know_. I'm sorry. I just really need to get her home and into bed." He winked at me playfully.

I bit my lip to keep from laughing, my face blushing a deep red. He picked me up again as soon as he hung up.

"Edward..." I sighed, finding it hard to chide him. We were being bad, leaving the presents there. But Emmett was probably only five minutes away.

"Yes, my love?" He said cheerfully. I rolled my eyes and shook my head as he picked me up again to carry me to the car. "He'll understand. We'll explain it to him later. Though we better wait until Alice gets home or we'll never hear the end of it."

"Actually, she already knows. She kind of figured it out. Sometimes I wonder if she can see the future," I said with a little sigh, thinking back to a conversation we had before while getting ready for the day.

"Well, if she can see the future, I can read minds," he teased, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, and what am I thinking right now?" I laughed as I adjusted his glasses. They always seemed to slide down his nose. For some reason, him wearing glasses was extremely sexy. Though, anything could look sexy if Edward was wearing it.

"Mm, not sure. Though, I'm pretty sure it's something along the lines, _'why aren't I in bed yet?_ ' or _'Where are my pickles and ice cream?_ '" He teased me, scrunching up his nose playfully. He carefully slid me into his new car. He was so proud of it still. He insisted on driving us that day.

I watched as Rosalie's car came rolling into the parking lot with Emmett driving. Luckily Alice's new home was close to the church. He waved at us both and I waved back. He was smiling so I guess he at least understood.

"Ugh, let's not talk about pickles. I don't want to ruin your new interior." I joked, sticking out my tongue in disgust as soon as Edward got into the car as well. For the second time that night he looked terrified.

I couldn't help but laugh and he pouted a little bit. I slid my hand over onto his lap, gently rubbing his thigh.

"Thank you," Edward whispered, his eyes never leaving the road as he drove us home. He was a surprisingly good driver and he enjoyed it greatly.

"For what?" I asked, letting my head rest against his shoulder. When he got to a traffic light he came to a slow stop. Edward turned to me and rested his hand against my cheek before kissing me softly on the lips.

"For giving me such a wonderful Christmas gift. I couldn't ask for anything more."

 **This is the chapter with the most changes but it doesn't change any of the story. It just makes everything flow better.**

 **Reviews are motivation! Send lots, please!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	23. Chapter 23

_**Edward**_

And, make love we did.

Later that night we laid in bed together and held each other close, simply covered by the thin blue sheets. Bella's head rested on my chest, her tiny fingers tracing the lines on my stomach.

"I can't believe I'm going to be a father," I whispered quietly, almost afraid to disturb the stillness of the room.

"Me either," she mumbled with a heavy sigh. Her voice was sad and distant, her words barely clear.

"Did you not want this?" I asked, saddened by the thought. I was thrilled and the idea of her not being happy about it broke my heart. I wanted her to be happy about it... No, _needed_ her to be.

"It's not that. It's just... Are we ready for this? We just now figured everything out. We didn't have babies in the plans just yet."

"You're right. We didn't. But Bella, I know you are my past, present, and my future," I told her as I cupped her cheek, making her look up at me. "Our plans won't change. We're just adding to them for now. We're adding good things. Something wonderful."

She nodded her head slowly and rested it against me once again. Bella was deathly silence and it scared me. I wanted to know what she was thinking. But, I knew she wasn't going to share her thoughts right then.

I hated not knowing what to say or ask. I wanted to know it was alright. I wanted to know that she was happy about it. But I knew right at that moment was not the time to push it. She would come around when she was ready. We were both kind of stunned still.

It hurt a little that she did not tell me sooner. She had known for days and had not said a single word. I could understand why, in a way, with Irina and all, but still... It didn't change the way I felt. She had been carrying this fear alone for days, except for Alice who had just figured it out. It was a heavy burden to handle alone. I hated that she felt she could not trust me with it. Did she think I couldn't handle it?

 _ **Bella**_

We woke early Christmas morning to prepare for Edward's parent's arrival. Their flight landed around ten and they insisted on not being picked up. They said it was too early. I was just glad it gave us time to make sure everything was in order before their stay. We needed to make sure everything was neat. Two college students didn't usually have the best cleaning habits, especially when they're busy.

We showered together and then sat down to have breakfast around nine after straightening up. It wasn't anything amazing since we would be having Christmas dinner later. Just some oatmeal and milk. Edward stirred his food around in the bowl, looking extremely distant.

"I can get you something else if you don't like it," I offered quietly.

"No. No, it's fine," he said, looking up only for the briefest moment. Edward continued to stir the gooey substance for a few more minutes, not saying anything else.

"What's wrong?" I asked with a heavy sigh. He had been so happy the night before. Was he finally coming to his senses and starting to freak out?

"Why don't you trust me?" He blurted out, his large green eyes sad. I could see little bits of moisture forming at the corners, but he sucked in a breath and tried to blink it away. I could tell Edward did not want to be upset and worry me more.

"Edward! I trust you! Why would you think I wouldn't?" I asked in utter and complete shock. Hadn't I been nothing but trusting, especially in the past couple weeks? Especially after that bitch.

"Then why didn't you tell me sooner?" He asked quietly, looking back down at the table.

I sighed and pushed my own bowl away. "Edward..." I trailed off.

"I understand not that night. I do. But, what about the next day? Or, the day after that?" His voice was almost pleading, desperate even.

"I don't know," I whispered. "I guess I was scared. So much is going on. I kept thinking _oh, but this is happening, I'll do it later when the time is better. And this is happening_ , and… It was always something."

"What are you scared of, Bella?" Edward asked, his tone frustrated. "What is there to be afraid of?"

"I don't know," I repeated in a quiet tone. I couldn't look at him. I could see the emotions play across his handsome face still out the corner of my eyes. I didn't want to tell him my fears.

Edward pushed his bowl away and took my hand into his. "Do you want this baby?"

 _Yes... no... maybe... I don't know_ and a half dozen other responses filtered through my head. So, instead, I answered with a question. "Do you?"

"More than you'll ever know." He gave my hand a gentle squeeze, his eyes pleading with me again to understand.

"Then, I do too," I said with a little nod of my head.

"If that's not really how you feel-" He began but I cut him off quickly.

"It is," I said, trying to assure him and myself at the same time.

He didn't look very believing but he seemed to let it drop, for the moment at least. Edward knew we really didn't have the time right then to discuss everything in detail. "Are we going to tell my parents?"

"Do you want to?"

"Bella," he groaned, getting tired of me answering with questions. He knew I was just trying to avoid it.

I rubbed my hands over my face. "Probably a good idea. I know they'll be happy about it at least."

"How would you like to tell them?" He asked, grabbing my attention.

A small smile spread over my face as the idea came to mind. I wasn't ecstatic about having a baby, but I knew that they would be. I could give this to them and with a little bit of a splash. They deserved to have this moment. I could also give it to Edward. I wanted to reassure him.

"Let me handle it, okay?" I said softly.

Edward raised an eyebrow, looking a little confused by my sudden mood shift. "Alright..."

 _ **Edward**_

"Mom! Dad!" I said excitedly, giving them each a quick hug as they came in. "How was your flight?"

"Good and boring," my dad said with a slight smile, patting me on the shoulder. "How was the wedding?"

"Good... and boring," I repeated back to him with the same slight smile.

"It's probably a good thing. Anyway, aren't most weddings?" He chuckled.

"So, are we just going to stand in the doorway or are we going to go open presents?" My mother asked, interrupting our conversation. Probably before my father could get himself in trouble.

"Excited?" I teased.

"Of course! You know I love Christmas!" She answered with a big smile.

We sat in the living room, opening up gifts for the next hour or so after that. We were having a good time but I felt nervous. I had no idea what Bella had in mind or even if she was going to do it that day. But either way, the look in her brown eyes at breakfast made me worried.

We were eating sugar cookies and drinking cocoa afterward, quiet conversations filling the room. My mom was doing most of the talking though.

"So, I was thinking about remodeling the spare bedroom," Bella started out casually, stepping into the conversation for the first time really that day. I coughed, choking on my cookie.

"Oh, what were you thinking about doing?" My mother took the bait instantly. My father looked over at me, confused. I shook my head to say I was alright, taking a big sip of the hot chocolate.

Bella stood up and offered her hand to my mother. "Come on and let me show you my ideas," my wife said with a big happy smile, surprising me. She winked at me.

I was confused as hell.

I was floored by Bella's actions. One minute she was acting like she wanted nothing to do with the baby. And, then she was making it out to be a big surprise she had been planning for months. It was hard to keep up with her moods.

I heard the women chatting as they walked down the hall. My father turned to me once they were out of hearing range.

"What's going on?"

"Um, you'll probably hear in a minute..." I trailed off.

"Should I be worried?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You know, I am not really sure," I replied honestly. "Maybe?"

Not ten seconds later I heard a very loud and happy squeal. I knew that noise anywhere. That was the happy sounds of my mother. _Very_ happy sounds.

"I think I should be," Dad mumbled after hearing her.

A minute later my mom literally came bouncing in, her face red and a watery smile spread across her lips. She also, very literally, tackled me on the couch.

"I'm going to be a grandma!" She sang happily as she squeezed my neck. As I hugged her I saw Bella standing back, a tiny smile on her face. I waved her to me and she stepped forward slowly.

"Congratulation," Dad said as he patted my back, my mother still holding me. He brought Bella into a gentle hug and kissed her forehead lightly.

 _ **Bella**_

Edward was watching me the entire time, his eyes never leaving my own. Carlisle finally had to pull Esme off of my poor husband to make her let go.

Edward walked over to me and lightly kissed my lips, his strong arms going around my waist. "Thank you," he whispered into my ear.

"For what?" I whispered back.

"You made her really happy. I know you're not excited about this, but you still made it special for her. You did a wonderful thing, Bella."

"Edward, I-" I started, only to be interrupted by Esme which was probably a good thing since I wasn't sure how I was going to finish that sentence.

"So, how far along are you, dear?"

"My doctor thinks I'm about ten weeks along," I answered really without thinking.

Much to my surprise, Esme smacked Edward's shoulder. "You waited that long to tell me!"

"Ow! I just found out yesterday!" He defended himself, rubbing his arm after his mother's hard blow.

"Esme, honestly we just found out," I said when I saw her disbelieving expression. "We'll find out how far along for sure I am in a couple of weeks when I have my first ultrasound."

"I'm so excited!" She squealed, moving on from her anger from before very quickly. "I can't wait to go shopping. Do you think it's going to be a boy or a girl? Oh... it doesn't matter! I'm so excited!"

It was hard not to laugh at her enthusiasm. She was going to be a fantastic grandmother. The baby was going to be so spoiled rotten.

Surprisingly enough, I began to feel excited, too.

 _ **Edward**_

I was happy and freaked out all at the same time. I wasn't freaked out about the baby, but Bella's reaction to it. Her emotions and actions were all over the place. While my mom was showing Bella what she wanted to do with the nursery, I decided to take a breather outside. The fresh air would do me good. I needed to clear my head.

"Hey, son!" My dad said softly, coming in the backyard to join me after a few minutes.

"Hey..."

"The women a bit much to handle?" He asked. My father copied my pose of leaning on the deck, elbows resting on the wood to keep himself propped up.

I chuckled, "no, they're fine."

"What is it then?" He asked, knowing me all too well. He knew that there was something on my mind, bothering me.

I sighed before answering. "It's just so much. So much has happened lately."

"Scared about being a father?" He asked sympathetically.

"No, not at all. I want kids. It's just... I didn't even know this was a possibility yet. I mean, she was on the pill. And, then there is school. We just figured it out, you know? And driving and weddings, and Irina-" I began to confess.

"Irina?" He asked, confused.

 _Shit, I had said too much._ But, I decided to go with it. I needed to talk about it to someone anyway. I had told no one else but Bella.

"Irina was my piano teacher." I started.

"Oh?" He said, his voice urging me to continue.

"And she kissed me," I said so softly I was surprised he heard me.

" _Oh_..." He breathed. "Does Bella know?"

"I told her right after it happened."

"And?"

"And, she doesn't blame me. But, I do. I mean, we were friends. I didn't mean to give her the impression that something could happen between us. I don't think I did. I don't know." I buried my face in my hands, feeling completely frustrated at the moment.

"You did the right thing telling Bella. Edward, son, you don't have a lot of experience with women-"

"I don't have a lot of experience with normal human beings period," I interrupted.

He sighed heavily, "Edward, just because you started out differently doesn't mean you aren't normal." I gave him a curious look before he continued, "it'll just take time. You'll adjust. It's what you are good at. What you've always been good at."

"I don't know. Maybe." I shrugged.

"I do know," he said, patting my back. I gave him a small smile which he returned. "So, you're excited about making me a young grandfather?"

"Yes," I laughed. "As I said, I didn't know it was a possibility, but it's a happy surprise. I'm over the moon."

"Bella seems excited about it," he pointed out.

I paused, "I don't know... I guess..."

"Hm?" He turned towards me, surprised at my response.

"One minute she's freaking out and the next she's discussing possible nursery colors with mom. I mean, she is all over the place-" I stopped when I heard him chuckle. "What?"

"Welcome to the world of being married to a pregnant woman," he stated simply.

"Are they all this... _random_?" I asked seriously.

He pursed his lips and I could tell he was trying not to laugh too much. "Uh, mostly, yes..."

"The entire time?" I asked, feeling myself blanch at the thought. I already felt tired.

"No, there is a period where it balances out before it kicks into overdrive," my father answered, looking at me from the corner of his eyes. He was teasing me and enjoying it.

I groaned, putting my face into my hands once again. "I am screwed, aren't I?"

"Yup, pretty much," he chuckled warmly. "But, it'll be worth it in the end."

"Gee. Thanks, Dad," I muttered sarcastically.

He grinned widely then patted my back. "Glad to be of service."

 _ **Bella**_

I felt lighter than when I did when I woke up in the morning. I don't know what happened in my brain but I was very happy it did.

Edward was in bed in his boxers and reading with his silver-rimmed glasses perched on his perfectly straight nose. Pieces of his beautiful hair were falling over his forehead, contrasting brightly with his beautiful ivory skin.

It was the first time since I found out I was pregnant that I realized just how beautiful our babies were going to be.

"Why the smile?" He asked curiously. "Not that I don't like seeing it."

"We're going to have pretty babies," I blurted out then blushed brightly at my admission.

Edward chuckled softly and put his book down. "Just now realize that, did you?"

"I guess," I shrugged.

He motioned for me to come closer. I did, going to straddle his waist. Edward gripped my hips and leaned forward to kiss my lips softly before pulling away, his eyes gazing into mine.

"I knew that when I was blind."

I giggled, "liar."

"I did! Honestly, if they look like you, in any way, they are going to be perfect," he said in that velvety voice of his, his natural charm coming out.

"You are so full of it," I mumbled, rolling my eyes.

"Yeah, a little bit, but you love me for it," he teased with his crooked smile.

"I guess," I joked right back. Chuckling, he pulled me tighter to his chest. I breathed him in deeply, enjoying his scent as it wrapped around me.

"You okay?" He asked very simply after a few minutes of just holding me.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I replied, looking up into his sparkling green eyes. A slow lazy smile spread across his lips and he touched my cheek. I could not help but smile back because I knew. I knew I was okay and everything would be okay as long as I had him.

 **Aw, what a nice Christmas!**

 **Reviews are motivation! Send lots, please!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	24. Chapter 24

_**Edward**_

"I don't want to go," she complained after she packed the final bit of clothing, sliding the zipper home with a little more force than was needed. Bella flopped onto the bed, arms above her head. Her beautiful brown hair flared around her face, the small frown making her look like a china doll.

China dolls were something I recently discovered. I wandered down the toy aisle at the store when Bella was grocery shopping with my mother one day. I wanted to look at all the things I had to look forward to in the future. Maybe not in the very near future, but someday. I saw a lovely little doll that looked almost entirely like Bella. Brown curly hair, creamy white skin, tinted pink cheeks, overly full lips but it had something different. The doll's eyes were my exact shade of green.

I knew it was what our child would look like exactly. I just did.

Bella sighed heavily, pulling me out of my thoughts. I smiled at her, crawling over her body and straddling her thighs. I hovered over her carefully, running my fingers through her hair.

"We don't have to go."

"Yes, we do. We already bought the tickets. We need to get this over-" she began but I hushed her with a kiss.

"Why don't we just call your mother and tell her that you feel too ill to travel?" I scooted down her thighs and lightly kissed her stomach, pushing her shirt up a little. "She'll understand if you tell her the reason."

"You just don't want to give her a chance to kill you in person," she teased, running her fingers through my hair and tugging on it gently. I looked up, placing my chin on her rock hard stomach. Her expression turned serious. "I should tell my mother in person that I am pregnant. We did it with your parents."

I sighed, lightly kissing her stomach again. "I know, but I know so many more fun things we can do on New Year's Eve."

"So do I," she moaned as I flicked my tongue over her belly button. My hands massaged her hips, tugging down her sweat pants slightly. I kissed the soft plain of flesh between her hips, sighing in pleasure. Bella groaned, tugging on my hair again. "Edward, our flight is in two hours. We don't have time for this."

"I don't want to leave this room." It was my turn to complain. I didn't want to go to Florida. As much as I loved Bella, dealing with her mother was not something I wanted to do.

"Edward, I don't want to either, but we need to. We'll have another weekend to ourselves soon."

I gazed at her hard when she said the words. "Do you mean that?"

"Of course," she rolled her eyes with a smile. "I know we've been busy but it won't be like this for forever. It's just the holidays."

I licked my lips as I thought, thinking of what we could do alone. But, sadly enough, it never seemed like we could be alone in our own home. Someone was always there. "Let me plan a weekend away. Not next week, but the week after?" I offered, really hoping that she would take it.

"I don't know..." Bella trailed off. "What would this weekend entail?" She looked at me suspiciously.

"Us, alone. Maybe a nice hotel room with a nice view-" She raised her hand up before I could say any more. "What?"

"You can have a weekend if I can set a price limit," she said in a hard tone. I actually snorted at her request. She looked none too pleased about that.

"Bella, you're talking to the wrong person about this. Money means nothing to me. You know that. Don't set me up for failure," I teased as I dragged my fingernails over her stomach lightly. Her back arched towards my hands, showing me exactly how much she liked it. I loved her response. I thought she was sexy normally, but since I had found out she was pregnant, I found her irresistible.

"Edward..." she groaned.

"Give me other restrictions. But, sorry, no money limit," I said softly, my husky tone surprising me for some reason. She obviously liked it too because she blushed.

Bella huffed, pursing her lips out. "Fine. Such a pain."

I laughed at her teasing, pressing my forehead against the stomach that contained the most precious cargo. My child. "I'm sorry, love. I don't mean to be. But, I will give you whatever else you want."

She thought about it for a moment, biting her bottom lip. "Fine. Let's see then. One state limit."

"What?" I said, gazing at her.

"You can go no farther than one state away. Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, or you can stay in Louisiana. After all, it's only a weekend."

"Long weekend," I corrected.

Bella blew out a breath again. "No plane rides."

I crawled up her body, taking her face in my hands. I kissed the top of her head before kissing down the forehead to her nose. I hovered over her lips. "Of course not." I moved my hand over her stomach, remembering her upset stomach the last time we flew.

Bella raised her arms above her head, wrapping them around my neck. She tugged me lower, using no words. We kissed then, lips locked together passionately. I never wanted to pull away from her.

 _ **Bella**_

"This is awful!" I moaned, clutching my stomach as we circled the airport over Jacksonville. We had been in the air like that for an hour. There was a storm hovering over the area and they weren't going to chance it until it passed. That couldn't happen soon enough. I had thrown up in that bag that they provided twice, just in the time we had been circling.

"It'll be over soon," Edward said softly, rubbing his cool hand over the back of my neck. It was easy to get to since my head was between my legs.

"I thought this was supposed to get easier the farther along you get."

"You're in the first trimester still. Some women never get over it," Edward annoyingly pointed out. I hated that his mother bought us those ' _what to expect' books_ '. I hadn't picked them up yet. Edward, on the other hand, had yet to put them down. He knew more than me. Perhaps when the thought of reading didn't make me sick, I would try. But, the idea made me gag.

Edward heard the noise and handed me a fresh bag. He was so gentle with me, holding my hair away from my face. I felt so bad that he had to do this for me. No human should have to listen to the noises I was making. It made me glad that we were in first class right then and there was no one else to bother on our row.

The stewardess bought another ginger ale which I drank down quickly, washing away the taste in my mouth. She gave me a small smile, patting my shoulder as she passed me again. Apparently, she had been working for the airlines for twenty years and was pregnant with all three of her children while doing it. I cringed at the very thought.

I really needed to stop thinking.

I heaved again into the bag, but there wasn't really anything in me but the soda. My stomach gurgled loudly, twisting and turning. The only comfort I had was Edward's hand rubbing up and down my spine, the other still holding my hair.

"We'll be landing now, miss," the stewardess said, kneeling down beside me. "Would you like to have a doctor waiting for you?"

I shook my head. "It's just morning sickness." I couldn't even bear the thought of doctors and needles right then. I pursed my lips together, not going to say anything else. I knew I would throw up again.

"Yes, but you've sick quite a bit. You don't want to get dehydrated."

"We are going directly to the hotel after this," Edward assured her. "I'll make sure she gets something in her stomach and gets some rest. If she does continue to feel ill, I will take her to a doctor right away."

This seemed to placate the woman, thankfully.

I leaned my head against Edward's shoulder, closing my eyes tightly as we descended onto the tarmac. What would I tell my mother if she saw me like this? If she saw me sick like this she would insist that I needed to go to the doctor. I couldn't have that.

So, as we exited the plane, I straightened my back and took bold steps forward. I felt a tad bit dizzy, but it wasn't as bad as I feared. It could have been a lot worse.

"Bella, do you want me to get you a wheelchair or something?" Edward asked, pulling down our two backpacks and throwing them over his shoulder. I knew there was no chance that he would let me carry my own.

"No," I shook my head a little too quickly, making the swimming in my stomach worse. "I'll be fine." I tried to smile, but it didn't work very well. Thankfully Edward simply nodded, looking grim. I touched his hand. "If I feel too bad, you can get one and then take me straight to the hospital. Okay?"

He sighed, "there's nothing they can do for you at the hospital, I don't think. I just feel guilty." I looked at him concerned. What in the world could he feel guilty about? He gave me a small smile. "I put you in this position and I can't even do anything to make you feel better. I'm sorry about that."

"You help far more than you'll ever know," I reassured him, pressing a tight-lipped kiss to his jaw. I wasn't going to bother him with my bad breath.

 _ **Edward**_

I made sure to stay behind her the entire time as we walked through the terminals. I just knew she was going to fall. I would feel horrible if she did and I wasn't there to catch her. I placed a protective hand on her back, sighing heavily.

"Edward, I'm fine, really," she tried to reassure me, but I was having no part of it. I knew she felt bad. Her normally lovely cream skin was a horrid shade of gray. There were deep purple circles under her eyes and she was covered with sweat.

There was no way that Renee would miss it.

We were supposed to be meeting her mother at the front doors. Bella had already called Renee to make sure she was here. She was in the pick-up lane, waiting for us to arrive. For some reason, she didn't want us to get all wet in the still light rain that was going on as if we would melt.

Bella was doing so much better than I expected her to. That was until we walked past a small fast food restaurant that was designed to feed the hungry passengers as they waited. It was hot dogs or something. It didn't smell half bad to me, but I knew automatically what Bella's reaction to the scent would be.

As if on cue she clutched her hand over her mouth and turned a green shade that even I could not miss. She hunched over for a moment. But, she swallowed and straightened, a determined look in her eyes. I opened my mouth to say something but before I could she was standing upright and was trying to stride off. Trying being the main word. Her knees wobbled and within a second, I had her in my arms. The last thing she needed right then was a head injury.

"Edward put me down," she said weakly, "I'm fine. Really."

"You're not fine. You're dehydrated and tired. There isn't a single thing in your stomach. I'm going to get you to the hotel and get you something to drink. Maybe some broth or something. If you don't keep that down I'm going to take you to the ER."

"But, my mom," she tried to argue, but I wouldn't allow her.

"She can just wait. You need to get some rest," I told her as I moved towards the door.

I heard a loud gasp and then a high pitched squeal. I saw from the corner of my eyes that Bella rolled her own. Her mother was known for her dramatics. It was going to be an interesting weekend.

"What did you do to my baby?!"

 _ **Bella**_

I rolled my eyes at my mother's over dramatic statement. It was insane. Why would she automatically assume Edward did something to me?

"Mother, I'm fine. He didn't do anything to me. The flight just didn't agree with me," I tried to reassure her.

"You can't even walk!" She said in an irrationally high tone of voice.

"I can walk. I'm fine." She looked at me, unbelieving. I looked at my husband and said through gritted teeth, "put me down."

"But, Bella..." He said but sighed, knowing there was no point arguing with me. I was grateful for that. At least he knew me well enough to know better than to try. I gave him an apologetic smile about my tone, but I didn't want to give him a reason to think there was room to try to argue.

He placed me on my feet with a heavy sigh. I straightened my shirt, squaring off my shoulders. "See, Renee. I'm just tired. The plane ride just did a number on me. That's all."

"It's more than that!" She said, looking me over like she would be able to find an outside source to explain my illness. My mother was getting nuttier by the day.

"No, it's not," I argued.

I felt Edward lean into my back and whisper into my ear so only I could hear. "That's not entirely true." I turned and smiled slightly, running my hand over his cheek. He gave me a brilliant smile before kissing my temple. This time he spoke a bit louder. "Renee, we should get her to the hotel."

"No! I'm not letting her out of my sight when she looks this way!" Renee said quickly before tugging me forward.

"Mom, I really just want to get to the hotel. I'll wash up, take a nap and then you, me, Phil, and Edward can go to dinner," I said, trying to calm her.

"Phil won't be coming, dear," she said quickly.

"What? Why? He isn't working, is he?" I asked, narrowing my eyes on my mother. I could tell by the look on her face that she was hiding something. This was not good news for us. This would not make this weekend easier.

"I wouldn't know what he's doing..." She trailed off, her nose in the air.

"Oh, no. Mom, what did you do?" I said, pulling out of her grasp.

"Really? The nerve! I didn't do anything," she said defensively. I felt Edward place his hand on the small of my back, comforting me. He didn't want me to get too stressed out for the baby's sake. I knew it wouldn't help.

I sighed, pursing my lips. "Fine. What did he do?"

She said nothing but started walking at double speed towards the car. She clicked the button on her keyring, opening the door quickly before slipping in. I turned to Edward, frowning. "Just as I thought."

 _ **Edward**_

Bella didn't even try to argue with her mother after that about going to the hotel. I knew it would be pointless to even try to bring it up. I was sitting in the uncomfortable overly bright kitchen. The tension in the room was overwhelming. I wanted nothing more than to be in my own home with my wife. This was not how I wanted to spend New Year's weekend.

"Really, Mom, I don't need anything," Bella said for the second time. Renee kept trying to shove different medications in her directions. Bella would read each box and then pass it off. I easily knew the reason why.

 _'If Pregnant or Breastfeeding, please speak to your doctor or pharmacist first before using this medication.'_

Renee sighed, seeming to give up on. "Would you like something to eat then?"

I looked at Bella and I saw her go a little green around the edges again. She had told me before about Renee's kitchen experiments. I thought I would save Bella the trip to the bathroom. "Actually, Renee, I was hoping to take you lovely ladies to dinner."

Bella smiled at me gratefully but Renee simply glared. "What? Don't think I'm able to cook a proper meal?"

I wasn't going to tell her that she hit the nail on the head. I was going to be more polite than that. Also, I didn't want Bella to smack me. I put on my best smile, ignoring her rude tone as best as possible. "No, not at all, Renee. It's just been a long day for everyone. I didn't want to put you through the trouble. Also, I did some research and there are some wonderful-"

"I can cook a good meal for my child! I can-"

Bella stood up quickly, slamming her hands down on the table top, palms down. "What the hell is your problem?"

I sat shocked by Bella's harsh tone, but Renee didn't even bat an eyelash or miss a beat. "I don't have a problem. He does!" Renee jabbed a finger in my direction.

"What? Are you out of your mind? He's been nothing but polite to you. You've been nothing but a rude bitch. He's offering to take us to dinner for God's sake!"

"Don't you use that tone with me, young lady!"

"Then don't be crazy! I bet this is why Phil isn't here right now," Bella hissed. My jaw dropped at her angry words. I could almost guarantee it was the pregnancy hormones talking, but it didn't make the words any less true.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Renee snapped back, taking a step closer. I stood up, not liking how irrationally she was acting right then. I would not let her hurt my wife. I didn't care if she was Bella's mother.

"I know exactly how you are, Mother. You are a flake and when your hobbies stop being interesting to you, you blow them off. Did you blow Phil off? One day it's going to be one too many times. He won't take you back and you'll deserve it. I wouldn't take you back if you were acting like such a bitter hag." Bella was trembling with her venomous words. I placed my hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her. She didn't even acknowledge the gesture. "You need therapy. You shouldn't treat all men this way if one makes you mad. Edward didn't do anything to you."

"He took my baby from me!"

"Took me? Mom! Please! I left. I couldn't take you anymore. I'm not your mother and I got tired of acting that way. I will make sure my children NEVER feel that way. They need a stable mother in a loving home. Not some crazy- just you! Argh!" Bella growled, stomping her foot. She was so flustered she couldn't even finish her sentence. I had never seen her this way before.

I placed a loving and protective hand over her stomach and lightly kissed her cheek. "Calm down, love. Please? You shouldn't get so worked up. It's not good for you and-" I stopped myself before I could say anything else. It was not the right time to say anything. Of course, I stuck my foot in my mouth.

"For you and what, Bella?" Renee said accusingly. Then her eyes narrowed on me. "Are you pregnant?" She didn't even wait for an answer before she began to rant. "Are you out of your damn mind!? You are far too young to be pregnant!"

I wasn't going to let her mother talk to her this way anymore. It was time for me to step in. "We are married, Renee. She does not need your permission for any of her actions." I wasn't going to deny that she was pregnant, but I wasn't going to say she was either. I would have Bella say that if she wanted to. I wasn't sure if she wanted to at that point.

"She shouldn't have married you in the first place!" She growled at me.

I laughed angrily, taking a step in front of Bella. "You know, I don't think you have any right to judge anyone's marriage. I will never hurt Bella and I won't allow you to hurt her either."

Bella tugged on my shirt and I turned. Her eyes were glassy with tears and it broke my heart. I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her to me. I lightly kissed her forehead, burying my nose in her hair for a second.

"Get your hands off my daughter!" Renee shrieked, pushing my back hard. I hardly moved but Bella was the one that stumbled backward. I caught her arm up before she could fall, pulling her up swiftly. She pressed against my chest for a moment before she turned her angry gaze to her mother.

"You will never know your grandchild," Bella said in such an angrily. I had never heard such venom in her voice before. I had never seen her this way before, ever. It broke my heart even more. She turned to me, her eyes pleading. "Take me home, Edward. Please?"

 _ **Bella**_

Edward didn't argue with me. I knew he didn't want to be there in the first place anyway. I wish I had listened to him in the morning and just stayed behind. I knew she wouldn't have understood, but it would have saved me from going through this insanity. It was frustrating and annoying.

But, most of all, it was painful.

I felt so numb the entire flight home. I didn't even throw up once. I couldn't concentrate on being sick to my stomach. I couldn't focus enough to think. My mind was blank and my body was unmoving the entire time. I simply stared forward, my lips locked in a hard line. I barely blinked. I had to hold myself together. I could not... No, _would not_ let her do this to me. Not anymore. I was not a child. I would not let her make me feel this way.

When the plane landed Edward placed a nervous hand on my arm, stroking it gently. "Would you like to get something to eat?"

I shook my head, not even looking at him as we stood. I hadn't said a single word since we left Renee's overstuffed and tacky home. He had not pressed the issue. I knew that wouldn't last, but I wasn't ready to talk about it yet. I was grateful that I had this time in my own head.

He sighed and nodded, his hand never leaving my body in some way. I could feel his guilt radiate from behind me. Edward felt responsible for this situation and felt bad that I was this way. He had nothing to do with it though. He was the only thing keeping me together.

I would have to make sure he knew that later. He had to know how much I relied on him. He was my strength. And I so needed that right then. I had no strength of my own. _None._

I had nothing in me at all.

The cab ride was just as silent. The driver didn't even try to make small talk after she saw my black expression. Edward gave the woman two twenties as we exited and whispered a quiet thank you. I could just imagine that I sucked all the happy energy out of every single place. She deserved that tip.

I walked ahead of him to the front door, unlocking it. I was unhurried. There was no need to rush. I had no reason to. I knew what would happen when I shut that door behind me and I wasn't looking forward to it. I wasn't in the mood to have any sort of conversation.

I took a few steps inside and simply stopped. I felt Edward's hands on my shoulders the moment the door was locked behind us. His voice was nothing more than a whisper behind me. "Bella?"

I felt my knees give first and then I dropped to the floor like a stone.

 **Dun dun duhhhhh**

 **Remember, reviews are motivation! Send lots, please!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Double chapter!**

 _ **Bella**_

Dreams. Such horrible and scary dreams. They flowed into one another, painful and black. They seemed so real and yet, not, all at the same time. I was an outsider in them. Watching them happen, over and over again. Flames, pain, blood. It was all mixed painfully together. But honestly, as I woke I could not tell you exactly what I had dreamed about. The images faded as soon as they came onto my mental screen.

I felt a bright light burning against my eyelids. My eyelashes fluttered, willing it away. If it would have gone away I would have gone back to sleep. But then I heard his voice.

"Bella?" Edward asked, excited and strained all the same time. I couldn't imagine what he had to be worried about at that moment. I had just fallen asleep. And then I remembered the previous day.

 _Ah, that's why._

I tried to open my mouth to answer, but it felt altogether too dry. Like there was a desert in my mouth. So, I decided to open my eyes instead to show him that I was awake. But, when they opened, they closed again in shock. It hurt.

 _Where was I?_ I thought to myself. The room was all wrong. It was not my bedroom or even a hotel room. Then the answer slowly became clear. It was a hospital room.

"Bella?" Edward said again. His palm which was warm from being clinched touched my own. I tried to move it, to grasp his fingers, but I felt something uncomfortable in my arm. It pinched every time I flinched or moved, pulling at the center part of the inside of my arm. I opened my eyes again, trying to see what was making the uncomfortable tugging.

It was an IV. Of course, that made sense.

"Bella?" Edward said a final time. I gazed at him, my eyes narrowing in confusion. "How are you feeling?"

"My mouth is dry," I answered. I realized then that, though my mouth was dry as a bone, I was not really thirsty. I ran my tongue over my lips, trying to moisten them. I must have slept with my mouth open because they were cracked as well. I frowned slightly.

Edward's hands worked quickly, pouring me a glass of water from the ugly Pepto pink colored pitcher. He stood, handing it to me. Loving he ran a hand over my hair, kissing the top of my head afterward.

"You scared me," he whispered into my locks.

"I'm sorry," I muttered. "Why am I here?" Then I remembered something and my heart twisted. "Is the baby okay?"

My husband looked at me for a moment, his expression changing. I couldn't understand it. It was a mixture of shock, surprised, and excited. Maybe even anticipation.

"They're fine."

"What?" I began to ask, but there was a knock on the door.

A tall young woman entered. She had blond hair in a ponytail at the top of her head. "Well, look who's awake!" She said brightly. "I'm Dr. Stone. How are you feeling?"

"Confused," I said in a sigh as the woman pulled the white blanket from my legs and began to rub my ankles, squeezing them. I couldn't understand what she was doing. I wasn't about to ask either.

"That's not surprising. You've been asleep for almost two days."

"Two days?" I asked in shock. I turned to Edward. "What happened?" I wasn't asking now. I was demanding.

"You were brought to the hospital after fainting and failing to awaken. You were suffering from exhaustion and dehydration. Your husband explained about your day and we felt it was best to simply let you rest. After making sure you could be awoken, of course. Do you remember?"

I shook my head, my eyes still on Edward's face. "No." I didn't remember a damn thing.

"Not surprising," she said, replacing the blanket. The doctor pulled the stethoscope from her neck and placed it in her ears. She patted my shoulder and I sat up so she could listen to my breathing. After she finished, she began to speak again. "We gave you something to help you rest more comfortably. We thought that it would be best for you and your babies."

"Babies?" I asked in confusion, my eyes turning towards the doctor's now.

"Yes. We did an ultrasound and they both seem to be healthy and normal eleven-week olds."

"Both of them?" I said in a soft tone, feeling myself become dizzy. I looked at Edward. "Both of them?" I repeated.

"Twins," he whispered softly as he leaned over and lightly kissed my temple.

"Oh my," I breathed.

"We're going to keep you overnight tonight, just to make sure. Before you leave in the morning we're going to do another ultrasound. Just to let you know though... No more marathon flying until after the pregnancy is over," the doctor said, patting my hand. She then turned her gaze to Edward. "Would you like us to have someone send something up or would you like to get her something to eat? I'd like her to eat, at least a little."

"I'll get her something," he replied, his eyes locked on mine. They were searching for some sort of expression, I think. But, I had none to give him other than shock. Total and utter shock. My face and my mind were both shockingly blank.

 _Two? Twins?_

 _ **Edward**_

Her eyelashes were fluttering, over and over again, even after the doctor left. She said nothing. Bella didn't even move. She sat stock still on the mattress, her eyes in front of her motionless.

I knew I had already said it too many times that morning, but I didn't know what else to ask. "Bella?" She didn't move an inch. "Bella, love? Are you alright?"

"Two," she said quietly. I knew it wasn't a question.

"Yes," I smiled slightly. "Twins."

"How?"

I laughed at the question despite myself, pulling her out of her fog. My wife turned and looked at me curiously. I gave her my best innocent smile.

"I imagine the same way. I don't think there is a special technique or anything."

Bella laughed softly, a smile coming over her pale pink lips. "No. I guess not."

"Are you okay?" I said, not talking about her physical state at all. I knew she would be alright in that way. She just needed to rest. I was more worried about her emotionally right then.

"I was out for two days?" She asked softly, twisting her fingers in the blanket.

"Yes," I replied, sitting in the uncomfortable chair I had barely left. "All of our friends have been coming and going. Rosalie is mad at you though," I teased lightly.

"Why?" She scrunched up her eyebrows.

"Because she found out Alice knew first, of course." Bella rolled her eyes, giving me another smile. "Charlie was quite shocked, too. I should call him up. I know he would like to see you awake."

"Call him up?" Everything seemed to be a question.

"Yeah. He went down to the cafeteria for something to drink. We didn't expect you to wake up so suddenly."

"Wait? What? Charlie is here?" Her eyes moved side to side, going over that information. "Does that mean- I mean, is she..." She trailed off.

"No," I said, knowing exactly what she was asking. "No, Renee is not here. She knows though. Charlie said he'd have her arrested if she comes within a state of you right now. He told her that you didn't stay down there for a reason and that you obviously don't want her around right now. She was the problem, not the solution."

"I'm not sure how I feel about that," Bella muttered, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "I didn't mean to-"

"No. You're right. She is the problem. Or rather, she has a problem." She looked up at me curiously. "Are you okay?"

I snorted. "How can you even think about me right now? You're the one in the hospital."

"But, I can't imagine... Having to be here, waiting for me. That must have been boring. At the very least."

"Boring would not be the word that I would use." I sighed, leaning forward. "Frustrating, painful, frightening, perhaps, but boring? Never."

"I'm sorry," she repeated. Bella ran her fingers over my eyes, tracing the purple circles underneath them. I had barely slept, barely moved, in days. "You look so tired," she whispered, her words heartbreakingly soft.

"No," I shook my head, not looking at her. I was, but I wasn't going to say that to her. Of course, she knew I was lying.

"Go get some sleep, Edward."

"I will not leave your side, not for that long anyway," I said solemnly. "You must be out of your mind or drugged still, to even think that was a possibility. Like I could now."

"Edward, I'm in a hospital. Nothing can happen. You should-"

I cut her off, quickly leaning forward and pressing my lips to hers.

"Bella, please, love. Don't argue with me about this. I'm not going anywhere. Ever."

My wife nodded her head slowly, her messy brown hair bobbing with the movement. She bit her bottom lip before she spoke again. Her expression was sweet and her words soft.

"Kiss me again, Edward."

 _ **Bella**_

Edward crawled onto the bed, on his hands and knees. I laid back slowly, letting his body hover over mine. It was comforting and strong. I ran my fingertips over his forearms, my eyes moving over his face. I was searching for something, but I wasn't sure what. I just wanted to make sure that he was okay.

His lips pressed against mine, soft and gentle. "Are you alright? Really?" I breathed as he pulled away. Instead of answering, he pressed his lips to mine more firmly. My fingers laced into his hair, pulling him closer to me. I moaned against his mouth, sighing with the tenderness of his lips.

Well, it was at least nice to know that he was not going to treat me like glass. At least for a moment. That was something good to know.

I heard a throat clear behind me. I turned my head quickly to see who was making the noise. I smiled as I saw my father. He was blushing, his face pointed downwards towards the brown floor.

"You know, that's what got you up here in the first place," he muttered sarcastically.

Edward scrambled off of me, flushing a bright red. I almost giggled at his expression. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Charlie waved his apology off. "It's fine. You're an old married couple now. It's to be expected," he replied quickly, looking rather uncomfortable. He cleared his throat again, changing the direction of the conversation. "So, how are you feeling, kiddo?"

I thought about that for a minute. "Tired," I whispered. I had been tired for a while. I had been tired before all this happened. I was ready for a break. I very much needed a real vacation.

"I don't see how," Charlie chuckled. "You've been asleep since Friday night."

I bit my lip. I was still kind of confused. "Did I miss New Years?"

Edward took my hand, squeezing it gently. "No, love. That's tonight. I'm afraid we won't be going anywhere though," he replied, waving his hand around the room.

"Oh, I know that. It's just... Well, I didn't want to miss our first New Year's kiss as an _old_ married couple." I smiled, using the phrase my father had used earlier. "Even if it's just in the hospital."

Edward chuckled, leaning in slowly. "No, you didn't miss that." He kissed me then lightly. I heard Charlie shuffle behind me and I knew we were making him uncomfortable again. Edward pulled back but not before pressing a firm kiss to my forehead.

"Well, you must be hungry, Bells. Want me to get you something?" My father offered.

I bit my lip again. Thinking about it, I was craving something. But, I wasn't sure if it was the right time of the day for it. It was hard to get a grip on time. "What time is it?" I asked, giving up after not really figuring it out on my own. I couldn't find a clock anywhere in the room.

Charlie looked at his watch. "A little after two in the afternoon."

"Oh," I said, feeling a bit disappointed. "No, that's okay. I'll just wait until dinner."

Edward sighed, rolling his eyes. "What is it that you want, Bella?"

"Eggs," I said sheepishly. I looked up as Edward chuckled. "What?"

"I think I can arrange that," he said as he stood up. "IHOP?" I nodded my head quickly in response.

"I can get it, Ed," Charlie commented as he went to stand. Edward put his hand up with a smile.

"No, I'll get it. Why don't you two spend some time together? What would you like, love?" He asked, turning his attention towards me.

I thought about it for a minute. "Breakfast sampler."

Edward rolled his eyes. I could almost see his thoughts to that answer. I was sure it had something to do with me running to the bathroom and throwing it all up, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned his eyes towards my father. "What about you, Charlie?"

"Same," he said with a smile.

Edward leaned in and lightly gave me a kiss on the forehead again. He whispered that he loved me in my ear, running a soft hand over my stomach. Before he left out the door he stopped abruptly and turned, "I'll just be a few minutes. I'm going to get you a toothbrush and such, too. I figured you might need it by now."

I giggled softly, "yeah. That's an understatement. Thank you."

"Of course," he called before shutting the door. I leaned back into the bed, smiling slightly. I had the sweetest husband.

My father's eyes focused on me. "So, kid, how are you really feeling?"

I looked at my dad for a few seconds, trying to figure out exactly what he meant by that question. "As I said, Dad, I'm just a bit tired." I decided to take the ignorant route. I wanted him to explain himself.

"No," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "With all this?" He waved his hand over my stomach.

"I am good about _this_ ," I said in a mocking tone, waving my hand over my stomach as he had done. He couldn't even say out loud that I was pregnant. "I wasn't expecting it, but it's not a bad thing."

"I'm just surprised. You're just normally so responsible..." He trailed off, muttering quietly to himself.

"I was on birth control," I told him a bit angrily. "I was being responsible."

"Oh."

"Besides, I'm married. There isn't anything wrong with me being pregnant now." I pointed out, trying to soothe my anger but it wasn't working. He had insulted me and my pride.

"I know that," he said, his tone embarrassed. "You're just so young, Bells."

"I know. I wasn't expecting it as I said, but I don't think this is a bad thing. It was meant to happen. Edward and I are meant to be parents." I stopped when I realized how true those words were. I smiled slightly, feeling a little bit lighter. "We weren't trying but I'm happy. We're both happy."

"You'll be a fine mother," Charlie said before patting my knee.

It was getting too emotional for both of us so I decided to change the subject. We needed something safe to talk about. Something that wouldn't cause tears. "So, how long you staying for?"

"I'm leaving on Monday," Charlie said with a yawn.

"You look tired," I commented. "You should get some sleep. Go back to the house and sleep on a real bed."

"I'm not going to leave you alone," he replied firmly until he yawned again. I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth. When he saw my expression he spoke more clearly. "I won't leave you alone."

"I'll keep her company, Charlie," I heard a familiar voice say. I smiled slightly to myself.

"Hi, Emmett!" I called, smiling at him brightly. He was the perfect friend to see at that moment.

"Hey there, girlie. It's nice to see you awake. You were really starting to worry us," my friend commented as he went to the end of the bed and tugged at one of my toes through the blanket. He turned his attention back to Charlie. "Seriously, I'll keep her company. I ain't got nothing better to do today."

"Ain't got nothing..." I snorted to myself. "Great grammar."

"Shut up," he teased, winking at me.

Charlie watched the exchange between us silently. He seemed concerned for some reason, but another yawn came from his lips. I gave him a pointed look and he sighed. "Alright, I'm going to get some sleep. You be a good girl and call me if you need anything."

My father gave me an awkward kiss before leaving me alone with my friend. With one easy movement he scooted me over to one edge of the bed and he sat beside me then put an arm around my shoulder.

"So, where's Rose?" I asked, poking his rib.

"She with her family. They have this traditional meal that they eat every New Years. It's disgusting, so I used you to get out of it."

"Gee, thanks. Glad to be of service," I muttered sarcastically.

"Hey! I should be thanking you! Black-eyed peas and cabbage are gross. At least the way they make it is."

"You know a veggie won't kill you," I shot back quickly, enjoying our banter.

"Sounding like a mother already," he laughed.

I sighed. "Do I really?"

"Yup, it's not a bad thing." He placed a kiss on my cheek. I sniffled, trying to hold in sudden tears. He pouted out his lips, giving me sad puppy dog eyes. "My baby is going to have babies!"

"Shut up," I laughed, a couple tears spilling down my eyes as I slapped him on the stomach. He huffed loudly before laughing, rubbing the side of my arm. "God, this is scary."

"I can imagine," he whispered. "You'll do fine, babe. You're going to be a fantastic mom. Edward, on the other hand..." He trailed off, breaking the tension in the heavy moment. I was grateful to him for that.

I poked his ribs and he laughed again, hugging me tightly to him. I set my head on his shoulder. "Thanks, Em."

"Anytime, baby. Anytime."

 _ **Edward**_

It only took me an hour to get all the things I need. I order the food on the phone before I went to Walmart. It was right next door so it would be ready by the time I got done. It didn't take me long to find all the things I need. What took the longest was the wait at the checkout.

Not a single noise was coming from Bella's room I realized as I walked down the hall. I wasn't surprised. Charlie was never one for chatting and I wouldn't be too surprised if Bella was sleeping again.

What I saw when I came in did surprise me though. In the bed was Bella and Emmett, his arm draped over her shoulder. She had her head on his chest, her fingers clutching his shirt. Em's head was tilted back, his mouth hanging open. They were both dead asleep. Charlie was nowhere in sight. I sat the bags down and walked to the bed and tapped my friend's shoulder.

"You know, this is probably the only time in the history of marriage that a man hasn't considered killing the man he found sleeping in the bed with his wife," I whispered, smirking.

He opened one eye and snorted before closing it again. He snuggled in closer to Bella. "Leave me and my sister alone."

"Oh, sister, huh?"

"Yup, she needs a big brother. I decided to take the position. The money is crap but it's well worth it."

"Well, that's good to know. Now, get the hell out of my wife's bed. She needs to eat a little something."

Emmett sighed, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Fine."

He leaned over and lightly kissed Bella's hair. "Hey kid, it's time to wake up. The man says you need to eat."

I laughed as Bella's eyes shot open. "Food?"

"Yup, scrambled eggs just the way you like it. I wasn't sure what you wanted to drink so I got you some milk and juice," I informed her as I started pulling the containers out. "Where's Charlie?"

"He was tired so I sent him home," Bella explained as she pulled open the butter package and smeared it over her pancakes. She looked extremely excited at the prospect. I hoped that something agreed with her stomach and stayed down.

"Oh, I got his food-" Before I could finish the sentence Emmett snatched the container from my hands.

"I'll take care of that," he said happily. "Mm, bacon."

I rolled my eyes, sitting beside Bella with my own food. She hummed in pleasure at a bite of sausage, laying her head on my shoulder. "You are amazing. Thank you."

"Just doing my duty, ma'am." I teased, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Gah, you guys are so mushy."

Bella and I ignored him, chowing down on her food. When Bella was about halfway done she noticed the couple other bags by the window sill. "What's all that?"

"Something to make your stay a bit better."

"I'm leaving tomorrow," she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, make your New Year's better then," I corrected, offering her my piece of bacon since she already finished hers. She snatched it from my grasp, sticking it quickly in her mouth. She chewed a bit, putting the piece in her cheek as she spoke through clenched teeth.

"You know, it's okay. I don't mind it."

"Since we can't celebrate the way we want to," I wiggled my eyebrows at her, "this will have to do. Now, finish up. You need to finish that."

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, as much as I hate to eat and run, I need to hit the road. If I don't my woman will end up beating me and I'll end up in a bed next to you kiddo," Emmett interrupted as he stood, stretching his arms over his head.

Bella smiled, waving him over. She hugged him tightly before placing a big kiss on his cheek. "Thanks, Em. You're a good guy."

"Yeah, yeah..." He said in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck. "Feel better. You'll be home tomorrow?"

"Yeah, hopefully," she sighed heavily.

"I'll get the gang together on Wednesday and we'll have a little party. Jazz and Al should be back in time for that." He waved as he exited, giving a little wink to us. "Be good, kids."

"Like we have a choice," I muttered as he shut the door.

 _ **Bella**_

After Emmett left Edward and I sat around and watched television. The nurse hardly came in at all to bother us. After my dinner which I ate in a hurry even though it hadn't been that long since lunch, Edward held me as I fell asleep. He was whispering sweet and loving words in my ear the entire time.

When I woke up again I blinked furiously as I tried to refocus. There were several candles in the room, the lights dimmed. I realized that it was around eleven thirty at night. I laughed as I noticed that there was a bunch of ice in the sink and a bottle of something, along with two flutes. There was a box of chocolates beside my bed, along with a gift bag. Beside it was a note.

" _Get dressed_ ," it said in Edward's beautiful script.

I took the bag and went to the bathroom. Inside was a cute little nightgown, cotton and soft. It wasn't exactly sexy but it was comfortable. There was also a robe and a pair of socks. I brushed my teeth with the things that were in the bathroom. I actually brushed them twice. The last thing in the bag was a tiny stuffed lamb. I hugged it to my chest with a smile, padding out to the room to find Edward on the bed. In his hands were the two flutes filled with a sparkling clear liquid.

"Edward, I can't have champagne. I'm pregnant!"

He rolled his eyes as I stated the obvious. I was still half asleep and dopey. "It's sparkling apple cider, love. Come on, get in bed with me."

I grinned and climbed in beside him. He pulled the blanket over my legs and handed me a glass. Edward pulled a chocolate candy from the box and offered it to me. I took a tiny bite, savoring the caramel inside. I hummed quietly, leaning my head back.

"This is so nice. You didn't have to do all this."

"Yes, I did," my husband replied, leaning down to kiss some of the chocolate from my lips. "If you're going to be stuck in here, you might as well be comfortable and enjoy yourself."

"The nurses are gonna be mad at you for the candles." I pointed out with a laugh, taking a sip of the cold drink. I giggled as I remembered the ice. "Inventive use of the sink, by the way."

He flushed. "I forgot an ice bucket. And I cleared the candles with nurses. It's amazing what a couple dozen donuts can do to butter up ladies."

I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck after setting down my drink. I leaned forward and lightly kissed his lips. "Thank you. This is too much."

"Not enough. Not nearly enough for you," he said, caressing my cheeks gently.

We gazed into each other's eyes for a long time. We traced each other's cheekbones, jaws, nose, lips, and earlobes with our fingertips, memorizing each other. After a few minutes, I lifted Edward's glasses off of his face. He blinked furiously, adjusting his eyes. I grinned, loving the way the bronze looked against his creamy skin. He didn't know how beautiful he was.

"I love you," I whispered softly, afraid to break the silence of the moment, " _Daddy_."

Edward chuckled, running a gentle hand over my stomach. "I love you too, _Mommy_."

We kissed then, gentle and soft. Nothing more and nothing less. I held tightly to him, enjoying the sensation of being so close to him. Not just physically, but emotionally.

We didn't even realize when it was midnight. It didn't matter. I got my kiss either way.

 **Twins…**

 **Reviews are motivation! Send me loads, please!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Double chapter!**

 _ **Edward**_

"Why, oh why, am I always the one with the blindfold?" Bella complained playfully with her arms crossed over her ample chest in the front seat of the Volvo. She had no idea where we were going and she was pouting about it. I had to smile at that. That and the fact that I didn't need any help from anyone to get her exactly where I wanted to take her. Well, no help from a human being. The internet was priceless in my opinion. I couldn't see how anyone lived without GPS.

"Because, my love, I want this to be a surprise," I said, rubbing her knee gently. I was trying to calm some of her frustration but I don't think I did that with my overly bright tone. I was having far too much fun. "Plus, it kind of turns me on," I teased her. She scoffed but smiled.

It had been two weeks since Bella was released from the hospital. She had a check-up visit, but other than that, no more trips to the doctor. She was actually feeling a lot better. I was really grateful for that. She would have to go again soon, but that was just a normal visit. It was something I was actually looking forward to. It was a first for me when he came to a doctor's visit.

"I'm sick of surprises!" She complained, pursing out her beautiful full lips. "Why do I have to be surprised? Haven't I had enough surprises lately?"

"Because it's _fun_ ," I drew out the last word with a bit of satisfaction. "Just humor me." I pouted my lips, giving her my best sad eyes before I remembered she couldn't see me. I smiled to myself. "Please?"

"No," she pouted, huffing loudly. I knew Bella really wasn't mad, just kind of annoyed. I chuckled, rubbing my hand up her jean covered leg. She sighed softly, her legs spreading slightly to give me more access to the inside of her thighs. _Well, this is an easy way to cool her anger..._

"I promise to make it worth your while," I said in a seductively low tone. I chuckled as I saw a shiver run through her body. It was nice to know I was wanted, even when she was in this condition.

After she collected herself Bella swallowed, running a light tongue over her plump pink lips. "You better."

"I promise," I whispered, running my hand between her thighs as I kept my eyes on the road. "If I have my way this will be a weekend you won't soon forget. I plan on having my wicked ways with you many many _many_ times."

"Oh, Edward..." She giggled my name, her legs spreading even wider. Well, she was laughing until I began to rub in a little rhythm, a little harder. Bella began to breathe a little faster, her voice breathless and full of lust. " _Oh_ , Edward..." Her head tilted back slightly, her long slender neck exposed to me. I wanted to kiss it so badly.

I stopped in front of the cabin, turning off the car before turning to my beautiful and now obviously pregnant wife. I ran my hand over her slightly rounded stomach, enjoying the warmth that radiated through her shirt. It was amazing how much she had grown just since I found out. It's like she blossomed before my eyes.

Carefully I leaned in for a deep kiss, demanding entrance with my tongue almost right from the start. She granted it happily. Her fingers laced in my hair, tugging me as close as possible with a console in the way. With gentle hands on her face, I had to pull her away. "Stay put."

Bella sighed and I could practically see her roll her eyes through the blindfold. "Like I wouldn't run into something if I tried to move."

I chuckled as I got out of the car. She did have a point there. I went to the other side and opened her door. I leaned down quickly and picked her up. Bella squealed, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Edward! I'm too fat for this! Put me down!" She groaned in real annoyance.

I scoffed, "you've gained ten pounds. You act as if you're a cow now."

She pouted her pretty little lips. Her arms wrapping more tightly around me. "I feel like it."

"You're ridiculous sometimes. You're carrying a baby. Not just one baby. Two. You're going to gain weight. It's a good thing. You should be happy about it."

"Yeah, well you're not the one gaining the weight."

I brought her inside, not saying a single word. I walked her straight to the bedroom and laid her on the soft bed. Hovering over her, I did not remove the blindfold.

"I can gain some weight if it'll make you happy."

"Shut up," Bella snorted a laugh, her arms going above her head. I chuckled, kissing the tip of her chin. She mewed quietly, letting out a sigh. "Where are we, Edward?" I knew she was trying to change the subject and I didn't mind in the least. There were much more fun things we could discuss right then.

"Where do you think we are?"

 _ **Bella**_

"I don't know," I told him honestly. I wasn't exactly sure how long we had been in the car. It didn't feel like that long. But there were so many little places around Shreveport that it could have been just about anywhere. We could have been in Texas for all I knew. Or, Arkansas.

"What do you sense?" He breathed into my ear, kissing it lightly.

"The only thing I'm sensing right now has nothing to do with where we are," I breathed out, making Edward grin against my skin. He kissed the soft spot under my jaw, flicking his tongue over it. My hips lifted automatically, seeking contact with his. "Edward, just tell me," I almost whined.

"What do you smell?" He whispered, kissing down the center of my neck. My chin tilted upwards, my breath coming out in soft pants. "Bella, tell me," he commanded.

"Um," I muttered distractedly. "Grass. Trees. Lots of green stuff."

"Good. Go on."

"It almost smells... _spicy_? I don't know. It's hard to describe. There's like salt in the air," I continued, finding it harder and harder to think as he tortured me with his mouth.

His hand slid up my stomach, pushing my tee shirt up. "What do you hear?" He asked next as he slid downwards. His entire solid form grazing me as he did, teasing me further.

I licked my lips. "Wind."

"Tell me more," he said, unbuttoning my blue jeans. Edward pushed the fabric down my hips slightly, exposing my panties. "Tell me. Tell me what else you hear."

I shuddered as he kissed the inside of my thigh. It was delicious and slow, his mouth hot against my tender skin. "Um... I hear... I um... " I yelped as he nipped at the center of my panties. "Wet." He chuckled at my reaction, nipping again. "Water, I mean. I hear water."

My fingers tangled into my hair, moaning as he blew a hot breath against me. I just needed something to grab a hold of. I felt all too wet and all too frustrated. We hadn't been together since Christmas Eve. Once again, real life got in the way. I missed this and I missed him. It didn't hurt that my morning sickness was beginning to pass.

"Where do you think we are, love?" He asked, sliding my panties and my jeans completely off after pushing off my shoes. I was left only in my white socks.

I thought about it for a minute. "A cabin by the lake? The one on our honeymoon?"

"Very good," he mused, kissing the tops of each of my knees before crawling back up. "I remember how much you liked it and thought it was a nice place to visit. Especially if we want to be alone. The pantry is fully stocked, as is the movies, and we don't have to be bothered by anyone for three gloriously full days. "

I smiled, grabbing him and pulling him up to me. I kissed him hard on the mouth, hugging him tightly. "This is perfect. Thank you."

"Welcome," he replied quietly, running his hand over my outer thigh to my ass. He kept going, pushing my shirt up until it was over my breasts. There was a still silence for a moment or so and it made me nervous.

"What?" I asked softly, biting my bottom lip.

"Perfect," he said in an almost moan as he leaned down to kiss each of the soft mounds of flesh. They were tender and sensitive and his mouth felt absolutely amazing on them. I groaned in pleasure as he pushed the cup of my bra down, exposing my stiff nipple to the cool January air. "So beautiful."

 _ **Edward**_

I had to taste her. I wanted her so badly. I leaned down and captured her skin, sucking it gently into my mouth. The moan that answered me made my already stiff arousal twitch. I sucked harder, flicking my tongue over it gently, over and over again.

I saw her reach up to the blindfold from the corner of my eye. "No," I said as I grabbed her wrist, "keep it on."

"But, Edward..." She began to complain but I covered her mouth with my own.

"Keep it on, Isabella," I said huskily in her ear. She shivered delicately underneath me, her hips bucking up against mine. "I want you to feel every part of me like it was new. I want you to gasp in surprise as I touch you." I wasn't thinking, I just spoke.

"Jesus, Edward, maybe I should get knocked up more often if this is what it does to you," my wife said breathlessly.

I laughed, kissing down her stomach slowly. "What does it do to me exactly?"

"You're just so... I don't _know_... _Mm_..." Bella moaned, throwing her head back as I kissed between her legs.

"It's just hard to keep my mouth to myself. Though, I think I have that problem normally when I am around you. " My finger traced over the sensitive skin, dipping my finger inside of her to make it slick. I slid easily between her lips, rubbing in tight little circles.

"Oh, god... Oh, _yes_... Like that... oh, _GOD_!" She shouted loudly, surprising me. I had never heard her so loud before. A heavy gush of liquid flowed from her body. Her thighs visibly shook from her powerful orgasm. I don't think I had ever gotten her there that quickly before. I hardly did anything and it resulted in _that_. "Wow," she sighed shakily but smiling.

"Indeed," I said almost sarcastically. I decided to test to see how sensitive she was. I slid my fingers down and pressed them inside of her tight body. Her mouth shot open, a heavy breath leaving her lips. With a few simple twists of my fingers, she began to clamp around them.

 _ **Bella**_

I had felt nothing like this in my life before. It was amazing. I felt like every single touch... _down there_... was ten times stronger than it normally was. I felt like my eyes were going to roll up into the back of my head from all the pleasure he was giving me.

I heard Edward chuckle from between my legs, far too proud of himself. "Perhaps you should get knocked up more often if this is what it does to you," he said, throwing my words back at me.

"What do you mean?" I panted out, my fingers itching to pull down the stupid blindfold.

"The book says," I groaned at the word _book_ but he ignored me and continued, "that during your second trimester you tend to see an increase in libido. It's a boost in blood flow and hormones which helps with... well..." he flicked his thumb over my clit, causing me to jerk wildly. "Well, that."

"That's the only good information that has come from that book," I smirked.

Edward laughed quietly as he crawled over my body once again. I could feel the course denim brush against my thighs, his hands working my bra and shirt off the rest of the way while pulling the blindfold off with it.

"I would have to agree that it is some lovely knowledge to have." He traced a loving hand over my jaw, lowering his lips to mine and giving me a deep kiss. I hummed softly, savoring his taste. "I think we better make good use of this time while we still can."

I giggled, wrapping my still sock covered legs around his waist. I pulled him down on top of me fully, feeling him completely against him. I loved it and I wanted to feel him like that, only with nothing on at all.

"I think that's a wonderful idea."

 _ **Edward**_

I watched Bella's slender form as she starred out the window silently into the baby blue morning skies. She had crawled out of bed a few minutes before, probably thinking I was still asleep. She was as quiet as she could be as her sock covered feet moved across the wooden floor.

It was hard not to stare at her when she was like this. She was just in a plain white bra and panties, the look completed by the socks. She seemed so innocent this way, so shy almost. The dim rising sun made her beautiful brown hair shine and her creamy pale skin glow, making her even more so the angel. Even though I couldn't see it very well I knew every detail of her smooth back. The soft tan freckles that dotted her skin, the slope in the center of back leading to her beautiful curved hips. I took great pleasure in memorizing every part of her skin. I grinned, simply happy to know she was mine.

I grabbed my glasses from the nightstand beside the queen bed before I crawled out quietly. I moved behind her, wrapping my arms tightly around her waist before placing soft kisses on her shoulder. I moved my kisses up the thin column on her neck up to her ear. Whispering softly, I let my breath flow of her skin, "what are you thinking about, beautiful?"

She shrugged her shoulders, leaning her head against my chest after a deep sigh. Bella peered up slowly, her eyes locking onto mine. "Just the babies."

I moved my hand onto her stomach, wishing I could feel some sort of movement or something. It would make it more real in a way. I knew they were there and I couldn't wait to meet them. I just needed something more than a black and white picture. I couldn't wait for the day that I could feel the tiny kicks against my palms.

"And what are you thinking about the babies?"

"Names," she replied softly, her voice distant. It wasn't unhappy though. The sound was sweet as it drifted through the air. It was like she was in a daydream.

"Oh, and what were you thinking about naming them?" I asked as I nuzzled her neck. I couldn't get enough of her skin. I had to feel her. I had to be touching her.

"Levi and Lucas or maybe Nathan and Nicholas."

I chuckled softly. "No girls names?"

She shook her head confidently before speaking firmly. "It's boys."

I pulled back, turning her head slightly with my fingers on her chin. "Is there something you forgot to tell me, love?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. I was pretty sure that they couldn't tell the sex of the babies yet. I would have hoped that if they had, she would have told me.

Bella smirked at my attitude, rolling her eyes slightly. "Edward, I just know." I grinned slightly at her response. She gave me an evil glare before tapping her forehead. "I know."

I couldn't help but laugh. She was ridiculous sometimes. It was adorable and a little funny. She frowned at me and I tried to compose myself. "Sorry," I muttered, though I really wasn't in all honesty.

"What?" Bella demanded as she turned to face me, her hands on her hips. It was hard to take her seriously this way but I swallowed and gave her my most innocent smile. "What?" She asked again.

"Nothing," I tried to say innocently. Her frown grew more annoyed with my lack of an answer. I sighed softly. "It's just cute that you have 'mommy sense'. That's all." I hugged her gently, kissing the top of her head. "I think you're wrong though," I said a little too softly.

"What?" Bella's eyebrows knit together, trying to figure out what I said exactly.

"I said, I think you're wrong though."

"What do you mean?"

"I think they're girls," I said with my chin in the air, copying her attitude from earlier.

I had to admit I was just doing it to get a rise out of her. It worked. She scoffed, pulling away from me. Her hips swayed as she moved over to the small suitcase I had packed for her for the weekend. "Are you arguing with the mommy?" She teased me.

"Yes, I believe I am," I leaned against the window seal, teasing back with a smirk.

She looked over her shoulder at me, her eyelashes fluttering slightly as her arm reached behind her back and unhooked her bra. The garment fell to the floor at her feet silently. Bella's lips pouted out slightly as her arms crossed over her chest, trying to give some sense of modesty as she turned to look at me. "It's not nice to tease me."

I swallowed hard as I walked forward at a slow pace. My eyes raked over her body hungrily. "No. It's not nice to tease at all."

 _ **Bella**_

I squealed as Edward picked up his pace towards me. I ran from him, my arms still crossed over my breasts and holding onto my forearms. The look in his eyes was so hungry and it was very sexy. I loved playing him. I loved the fun side of him. And it was extremely enjoyable and exactly what I need.

I made it around the bed once and almost to the bathroom before he caught me by the wrist, pulling my arms away from my chest. Without a single word, Edward wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me up to his mouth before latching onto one of my nipples. It felt _amazing_. I moaned, going limp in his arms.

Edward carried me into the bathroom, sitting me on the vanity without even removing his lips from my body in any way. My hands went to his hair, holding him against me greedily.

"Take me," I moaned loudly, practically pleading. "Please, I need you." All teasing was gone in me and was replaced by pure lust and desire.

After a scramble to remove the rest of our clothing he buried himself deep inside of me as I still sat on the countertop. My legs wrapped around his waist, our lips locked as we moved together. It only seemed like a minute or two before I came and then finally taking him with me after my third one.

It took a few minutes to catch our breath. After, we climbed into the bathtub together. I leaned against him, playing with his fingertips which rested against my belly. It was his new favorite spot to put them. It was nice and odd all at the same time.

I turned my head slightly to the side so I could look up at his serene face. His head was leaned back against the edge of the tub, his eyes closed. I smiled, leaning in to kiss his jaw. "Thank you for this. I needed this," I whispered against his skin.

"So did I," Edward admitted quietly, opening his eyes. "So much has happened lately. I wish this was more. I wish I could take you away for a month and let it just be the two of us. It seems like we never slow down."

"That's not going to change for a long time," I laughed a little. "I think for about eighteen years, at least. Maybe more if we have more kids..."

He took my chin, turning me more so I could look into his eyes. "You want more?"

I bit my lip and shrugged. "I don't know. Let's see how these go. But... you know... the idea is kind of growing on me. I like the idea of me being a mother. The idea of you being a father." I turned in his lap, straddling his waist and wrapping my arms around his neck. "There is just something about a man with a baby that is very hot."

He laughed, leaning his head back against the tub lip again. "Oh, so with twins, is it doubly so?"

"Well, you're already unbearably sexy. I think I'm going to have to beat some soccer moms off with a stick."

Edward scoffed, rolling his eyes sarcastically. I wrapped my fingers in his hair, pressing my chest against his tightly. I pulled him up slightly and without a word, I pressed my lips to his. He groaned against my mouth as I began to grind against him. "Is this what that idea does to you?" He muttered as my lips traveled down the side of his neck.

"Ahuh," I whispered before flicking my tongue his Adam's apple. I rubbed my thighs against his and watched with satisfaction as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Slowly, I pressed my lips against his ear. "You're going to be an amazing father."

I felt his hands lace into my hair, pulling me back slightly. His deep green eyes were suddenly sparkling with intense emotions. "You, my love, are going to be a wonderful mother. I love you, all of you," he moved his hand over my stomach, "so much more than I thought was possible. I didn't know this kind of emotion could exist." Edward pressed his forehead to my heart before beginning to speak again, his long arms wrapping around my waist tightly. "I feel like I'm going to burst. Thank you... Thank you so much."

"What are you thanking me for?" Almost too shocked to speak by his sweetness.

"For giving me a life I never could have had otherwise."

 _ **Edward**_

"Can we just stay here for forever?" Bella asked as she snuggled into the cabin's bed that Sunday evening. We had put it off for as long as possible. The weekend had been perfect. We made love, relaxed, had picnics on the beach, and were just... us. I didn't want to leave either. Bella knew this.

I crawled beside her, flopping beside her before I spoke. "If you didn't have a doctor's appointment tomorrow I would say yes."

Bella sighed, pouting her lips out slightly. "Fine."

I chuckled, kissing her upper and lower lip lightly. Bella sighed happily, closing her eyes as she snuggled against me. "My beautiful girls," I whispered into her hair, holding her closer to me.

"Your beautiful girl and your handsome boys," she corrected against my chest. My wife peered up at me. "You know, a normal man wants sons to carry on the family name."

"I, my dear, have never been normal. No one could blame me for wanting to have girls just as beautiful as their mother," I replied as I laid her gently onto her back so I could hover over her. I dragged my fingertips over her pale pink flesh, adoring the goosebumps that rose in the path that I created.

"Well, I suppose I know exactly what you mean," Bella breathed. "I want sons as handsome as their father."

"You know," I began," we could have one of each. That is possible," I pointed out. I doubted it though. I knew in my heart that it was girls. With every fiber of my being, but I knew Bella felt the same way. I had defended the position so hard all weekend in my teasing I had latched onto it.

She scrunched up her nose in thought, biting her lip before shaking her head quickly. "Nope. Boys."

I laughed, "you are impossible."

"So are you!" Bella countered quickly. "I hope my sons aren't as stubborn as you."

Bella pushed me over onto my back with a playful shove before hopping off the bed. I rose to my elbows, watching as she glided over to our suitcases. "Well, I suppose we're doomed either way on that one. You're just as stubborn as me, if not worse."

She scoffed, tossing her hair playfully. "I have no idea what you are talking about." Even she couldn't keep a straight face with that one. A little giggle escaped her lips, turning to smile at me. "It doesn't matter what we have. As long as they are half you, I'll be happy. Now, come on, Daddy. Let's go home."

 **A little peace, romance, and sex in the storm.**

 **Reviews are motivation! Send lots, please!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Double Chapter!**

 _ **Bella**_

"Ugh! I hate this!" I complained as Rosalie and Alice used me like a Barbie doll...again. A pregnant Barbie at that. I hated to dress up even more. Were they just trying to be cruel?

"But you don't have anything to wear! Come on. It'll be fun!" Alice said in a chiding voice, putting on her best smile.

I knew Edward put them up to it. He had to. In the past two days, I had popped the button on my pants twice and my shirt didn't go over my stomach. I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted. I would just stop bending over. That would fix the button problem and well, the shirts... I would figure that out later. "I'm not that pregnant."

"Sweetie... You're at fifteen weeks with twins. You're gonna get big."

I frowned at Rosalie's response. That didn't help any. Alice saw this and decided to step in. "Isabella Cullen, how would you like to bust another button and show everyone in class your Victoria Secrets?"

I flopped back on my bed, my arms above my head as I laid in only my underwear. Alice took this as an agreement, or at least not an argument, and she went to my closet to search for something for me to wear. There wasn't much of anything really. It took her ten minutes of searching to find something acceptable. It was a summery dress with no sleeves. I frowned at the discovery. Was I supposed to wear it that day in this weather?

"Put a sweater on. Girl, your stomach..." she waved her hand over it, not knowing what else to say. "You'll just have to deal."

So, after ten minutes of getting dressed and an hour of getting hair and makeup done, I trudged out into the living room where my husband and our friends were playing video games. Edward wasn't nearly as good as Emmett or Jasper, but he was getting better every day. When he saw us he instantly stopped, pausing the game.

"Hi there, beautiful."

"Hush," I muttered as I plopped down onto the couch. I was already tired and I didn't want to go anywhere.

"What's got your panties in a twist, baby?" Emmett asked as he snatched Edward's controller away from him and restarted it.

"I'm going shopping," I stated simply.

"She's going clothes shopping," Edward corrected, rubbing his hand over my stomach gingerly.

"And the problem is...?" Jasper trailed off in confusion.

"She needs a new wardrobe!" Alice clapped her hands together happily. I groaned.

Edward leaned forward slightly and kissed the side of my neck lightly. "Normally, I would protect you from this but she's right. You do. It won't be that bad."

"I'm just going to get bigger," I sighed, laying my head against his chest.

"It won't last for forever," he promised, kissing my lips lightly. "Anyway, you need to get something comfortable for tomorrow."

The following day was the McCarty's Mardi Gras party and one of the parades. I was glad it wasn't on Valentine's this year. I was actually looking forward to it, other than the fact that the weather was being rather unpredictable. It would be cold one day and then hot the next. Everyone seemed to keep a cold this time of the year. I just knew after the following day I was going to get a cold, too.

"Fine," I muttered sourly, rolling my eyes. I leaned my head back against his shoulder, taking a deep breath. Edward lightly kissed my cheek before pulling something out of his front pocket and handed it to Alice.

"Buy her what she needs," he said very seriously. Alice grinned widely and actually saluted him.

I scoffed and pushed off of him. "I am capable of buying my own clothing."

"That is something I haven't seen." He smirked, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

"I do have my own credit card."

"I've never seen you use it on anything other than groceries."

"Yeah, but-"

"Ugh!" Emmett interrupted. "Enough you two. You sound like an old married couple. Bella, babies, go shopping and get you something sexy. Alice, don't go overboard. Don't look at me like that Rosalie Hale, same goes for you. We'll keep Edward out of trouble for you, honey," he said, patting my hand reassuringly.

Rose clicked her tongue at the display and Alice sighed, not impressed. I knew that nothing anyone could say would stop them from their fun. It scared the hell out of me honestly. I could handle a little bit of shopping for things here and there, but pretty much a whole new set of clothing? I shuddered at the thought.

 _ **Edward**_

As soon as the girls left Emmett turned off the game. "Hey!" Jasper shouted at him, annoyed. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm going to go get my baby something to wear. I know those women won't get her anything comfortable."

"Your baby?" I rolled my eyes. "Since when is she your baby? Should I be worried?"

"Fine," he sighed, "your baby. Let's go get your _babies_ something to wear for tomorrow."

"Do I have to be involved with this?" Jasper said, already standing up. He knew the words that were going to come out of Emmett's mouth before he spoke them. Jasper picked up his baseball cap and keys after shoving his wallet in his back pocket. "Fine! Let's get this over with."

"Remember," Emmett said as seriously as possible, "United we stand, my brother."

"You are such an idiot," I laughed. "You act as if Rose and Alice are gonna tear you to shreds."

Emmett gave a meaningful look to Jasper, one I had no idea what it meant then turned back to me with an extremely somber face. "I love those women with all my heart. Never forget that I said those words first." Then he leaned in, lowering his voice a little, "but they are some evil bitches when it comes to clothing. By getting something for Bella when they most likely have a 'plan' for what she should wear tomorrow is like going against their wicked wardrobe code or something."

"They can hurt one of us, but it's harder to take all three of us out," Jasper added into the conversation.

"Trust us. We've tried to do something like this before and well yeah... it didn't work out well."

"Okay, I'm all for getting Bella something comfortable to wear. But you guys are just the biggest idiots I've ever met. They won't do anything to us. These women are your wives, or are going to be, for God's sake..."

"Oh! You guys! I love it!" Bella squealed the next day. The weather was supposed to be pretty cool so we got her a pair of flannel sleep pants, thick socks, a huge long sleeved tee shirt and a hoodie that literally went down to her knees, all in the LSU theme. She was purple and gold from head to toe. Perfect for Mardi Gras. Bella came running out from the bedroom and I saw the two perfectly done up girls on the couch cringe in disdain.

Bella jumped up and wrapped her arms around Emmett's neck, planting a large kiss on his forehead before jumping off of him and wrapping Jasper up. She kissed his nose before hopping off of him.

She literally tackled me, peppering my face with kisses. I chuckled, trying my best to ignore the resentful stares coming from Alice and Rosalie. They were obviously very displeased with this whole thing.

"I love it! Thank you!" She said, throwing herself into a deep kiss. I wrapped my arms around her waist, lifting her up so that her mouth was closer to mine. She moaned softly, deepening the kiss until we heard someone clear their throat behind us. Bella giggled as she pulled away, a heavy blush on her cheeks. "Sorry."

"That's nice, dear... Now, why don't you go put on that outfit that we-"

"No!" Bella said right off, not even turning to look at Alice. "I want to wear my gift from my boys. It's perfect."

"But-" Rosalie started but was cut off quickly by a very loud Emmett.

"But! The outfit wouldn't be complete without this finishing touches!" Emmett pulled something from his back pocket. It was a pair of purple and gold gloves and a beanie hat. He came up to her and placed it on her head, her braided pigtails hanging out on either side. I chuckled at her cuteness, the bright smile never leaving her face.

"I wish you always accepted gifts this graciously. It would make my life so much easier."

"Well, if your gifts were this practical, I would," she teased, pressing a soft kiss against my cheek. "You guys are great. I can't thank you enough for this."

"It's worth it to see your face," Jasper chimed in, smiling at her happy reaction. I could practically see Alice roll her eyes at his words.

"Okay, well, I'm going to get my shoes on and then we can go pick up the cake..." Bella dropped to her feet. "And you guys need to bring sodas?" She asked, thinking of all the things we needed to bring to the party. Nobody was really cooking this year. Bella had decided to pick up a nice cake from a local bakery while Jasper and Alice were picking up a few cases of sodas. The only one that had even attempted to cook was Rosalie and let's just say that turned out very badly. They had already picked up a dozen different bags of chips on their way there.

As she wandered back into our room to get her shoes on Alice shot off the couch. "Hey! What's the big idea?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, practically batting my eyelashes at her in innocence. She was not taking it.

"You send me out there to get her something to wear and-"

"Alice, I just want her happy and comfortable. Besides... Blame Emmett. It was his idea."

Rosalie clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes, putting her fists on her hips as she stood. "Oh, really?"

"Dude! You totally just sold me out!"

Jasper patted his shoulder. "Every man for himself, my friend."

"All of you suck!" Emmett complained, pouting like a toddler. I snickered, slapping his back. He turned his gaze to me. "Payback is a bitch. Just you wait..."

"Oh, I'm terrified. Really, I am." I said sarcastically.

 _ **Bella**_

It was silly how excited I was about clothing. But it was nice to know they worried about me and my comfort. I had to admit though that the colors altogether were a bit much but for the day it was perfect. Honestly, it was the most comfortable I had felt in a long time.

I sat on my bed, placing my Adidas on my feet before tying them quickly. I decided to not take my purse so I dumped the contents out on my bed to pick out all the things I would need. My wallet and keys were a must. The order slip for the cake we needed to pick up. It totally didn't go with the Mardi Gras theme, but it sounded so good. It was some Mexican style cake made with a few different kinds of milk in it or something. When I read the explanation on what it was, my mouth literally watered. It was a must for the day as well. Finally, I grabbed my chapstick and shoved it into the front of my hoodie.

I was just about to walk out of my room when my cell phone rang. I sighed, realizing what I had forgotten. It was a good thing it was ringing. I would probably need it later. I went back to the bed and answered, not even bothering to see who it was.

"Hello?"

"Bella?" Bella? Bella! Why the hell haven't you answered my phone calls or sent me an email?" Renee demanded angrily.

 _Well, there went my happy mood._

"I thought that would be obvious," I said in a low and dangerous tone. I was in no mood to be messed with. I wanted to have a good day today. She had ruined the last Mardi Gras for me, I refused to allow her to do it a second time.

"I'm still your mother, Isabella Swan!"

"Isabella Cullen," I corrected her angrily. "If you are a mother then I'm a monkey. You are unstable, you know that?"

"How dare you speak to me that way!" She hissed back.

"How dare I speak in what way, Renee! I know you're not used to the truth in your messed up little universe but I'm not going to baby you. You're a big girl who is responsible for their own actions."

"I did not teach you to-"

Just at that moment, Edward walked in looking confused. I wanted to end the conversation quickly. I put a hand up, keeping him quiet. I didn't want to go down this road with her. I would defend Edward to the ends of the world. He didn't deserve to be spoken about in such a way. What she said at New Years was stupid and unacceptable.

"You taught me nothing," I said harshly. "I recommend you seek therapy. Don't contact me again until you do." And with that, I ended the call.

"Renee?" Edward asked even though he already knew the answer. He placed a hand on my arm, rubbing his fingers down it gently. I nodded my head and pulled away from him, plopping down heavily on the bed. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head, rubbing my hands over my face. "Why?" I demanded of him. "Why does she have to be this way? Why couldn't I have your mother?"

He knelt in front of me, taking both of my hands into his own. "Because then this would be considered incest."

It took a moment to process his words, looking at him in utter confusion. They finally came through and I cracked a smile, a soft breathless giggle left my lips. He gave me a small smile, glad that I took his joke well. He leaned his head forward against my stomach, pressing his ear to it. I hugged him to me, leaning my head down into his hair. He always smelled so nice. Like old books and sweet musk. It was so soothing. "I just don't know why she is this way," I told him honestly.

"It's just a chemical imbalance, Bella. You know it's not you, right? She'd be this way no matter what you did." He looked up at me, his chin resting between my breasts. "It's the extreme and unchecked Borderline Personality disorder. Not you," I repeated.

I thought about his words for a minute before nodding my head. "I guess so."

"I know you blame yourself for it. You shouldn't though. "

"But if I-"

He stopped me, going back onto his haunches. "But nothing, Bella. She'd be unhappy no matter what you did. If you lived here or there. Married or Single. Straight A student or failing. You'd be too far away or sponge if you lived there. You'd be too young or unsocial and going to die a spinster if you were single. And you'd be lazy or studying too much if you had nothing but As. There is nothing, Bella. Not a damn thing you can do to please her."

"I know," I breathed.

"You're not going to be that way, ever." He took my face in my hands, answering my biggest fears. I shook my head, tears starting to fall down my cheeks in little rivers. They slid down my neck and soaked the collar of my jacket. "Isabella. Never. You will never be that way," he reassured me firmly.

I licked my lips slowly and nodded my head again. I wanted to sound stronger but my voice cracked, "I know."

 _ **Edward**_

I was just coming in to see if she was ready. I never figured we would end up being this way. With me in front of her on the floor, her beautiful brown eyes shedding heavy tears. I leaned forward, kissing her lips firmly.

"I love you, Bella," I whispered against her mouth. "Always."

"I love you, too. Thank you," she replied, closing her eyes and leaning her forehead against mine.

"Hey guys, you okay in there?" I heard Emmett say from the hallway.

"Emmett, you idiot. Don't go in there. What if they're doing something?" I heard Rose sigh, her heeled boots clicking against the hardwood floor.

"The door isn't closed. If they're doing something with the door open they deserved to be caught. Don't you-" He started but stopped when he came to the doorway. Rosalie was right behind him.

With a sharp smack to his shoulder, she gave him a wicked glare. "See, that outfit is so awful it made her cry."

Bella laughed, pulling herself off the bed. "I love my outfit. Don't dis it." She sniffled softly, rubbing a hand over her cheeks. "Come on. Let's go get that cake. I need junk food right now."

She took Rose's arm and pulled her down the hallway. I could tell she was ready to end the conversation. I sighed, standing up to my feet. Emmett stayed behind, leaning against the doorway.

"Everything okay?"

"Renee called," I sighed dejectedly. By the look in his eyes, I could tell that was all that needed to be said.

He pushed himself off the molding and gave me a weak sympathetic smile. "That sucks so much ass."

"That it does."

"Come on, guys! Let's head out!" Jasper called from the living room. Emmett gave me another smile and started to head that way. I lingered back in the bedroom, gathering myself. I noticed that Bella's cell phone was still on the bed. I decided it was best just to leave it there. She couldn't handle anymore from her mother.

 _ **Bella**_

"What is that? Like what? Your fifth helping?" Jasper teased me, trying to pick a chip off of my plate. I snatched it back quickly, practically hugging it to my chest.

"What? Leave me alone! I'm eating for three."

"Yes, three. Not three dozen," Alice giggled, hopping up from the ground and going to get a drink before I could get my revenge. I was sure something would have been thrown at her if she stayed sitting still. She was practically begging for it. But, it was harder to hit a moving target.

"Shut up," I muttered almost to myself. Edward rolled my eyes, trying to hide his smile. He sat behind me on the slightly moist grass, his legs on either side of mine.

"Leave her alone and let her enjoy her food in peace," he defended, smiling sweetly as he kissed my cheek.

"Thank you very much." I grinned at him until I noticed him try to take a pinch off of my cake. I slapped his hand away, practically growling at him. "Mine. Go get your own."

He pouted but I would not be moved. He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine. I see how it is."

"I love you!" I called after him with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah," he sighed, waving his hand as he moved towards the dessert table. He turned his head to the side and gave me a little smile. "Love you, too."

After we both had our cake we laid out on the grass, watching the setting sun while we waited for the parade to come. The day was a little chilly, but not uncomfortable with all the layers. I rested my head on Edward's stomach. His hands played with my hair, twirling it aimlessly around his fingers.

"Are you excited?" I asked suddenly. I felt him shrug.

"I am," he said quietly. "I'm wondering if I'll be able to catch anything. My depth perception still isn't the best."

"You know, I think you'll do fine," I answered, rolling to my side to look up at his face. He gave me a little smile, nodding his head. Suddenly he turned serious, running his hand over my stomach.

"You know, you'll do fine too."

I thought about his words for a moment. I always wondered how he knew the right things to say. This was a worry of mine, but I wouldn't even allow it to come to the front of my mind. But it was always there, bugging me. Would I be a good mother? Would I be like Renee in any way?

I knew the answers to these questions.

Yes, I would be. There just had to be some ways that I would be.

And, No, I wouldn't be like her. Ever. Not completely.

I bit my lip and nodded my head slowly. "Yeah, I know."

 _ **Edward**_

I came in carrying two very large bags of beads, cups, coins, stuffed animals and other assorted things from the parade. Between all of us, we did fairly well. After the parade, we went to Jasper and Alice's place and sat on the floor like a bunch of kids with Halloween candy and did trades. I think we got a cup from every single float in the parade and we had like forty of them. They came in handy at least. Even if it wasn't exactly fine dining wear.

Bella whimpered her way to the couch, plopping down heavily. "I am so tired."

I dropped the stuff on the kitchen table to mess with later. I wasn't sure what we were going to do with all of it. It was a ton of junk. I sat down next to her, flopping back so that my head was on her lap.

"I know exactly how you feel. I'm exhausted."

"The parade was a lot of fun though." She smiled down at me over the curve of her stomach. I leaned forward and lightly kissed the bump.

"Yes, it was. I'm glad we went," I said as I lifted the hoodie away from her stomach. I lightly kissed her belly button, making her giggle and squirm against me.

"Stop it, that tickles. Besides, I need a bath."

I hopped up to my feet and offered her my hand. She took it and I helped her up, tugging her along to the bathroom without a single word. I started the water for us before coming up to Bella who was looking at herself in the mirror.

"You can't tell I'm pregnant when I wear this," she said quietly.

I shook my head in response, pulling the jacket over her head and tossing it to the floor. "Yes, but I like you this way. You look beautiful."

"I think you are so full of crap..." She teased, turning to look at me completely.

I smirked, placing my hands on her hips and lifting her onto the countertop. I dropped to my knees in front of her and took off her shoes and socks before rubbing each foot gently. "I am not full of crap. I just worship you."

"Crap," she whimpered as kissed up her flannel covered legs. Bella looked down at me with a sassy grin. "So full of crap."

My fingers wrapped around the waistband of her pants and I yanked them down forcefully, making her scoot closer to the edge of the counter. I stopped her from falling over the edge with my body between her now bare legs. She was only left in her shirt, bra, and panties. I quickly fixed part of that problem, pulling up her shirt. I dropped down to the floor again, kissing her stomach. "You know, sometimes you just need to shut up and enjoy."

She leaned back against the mirror as I tugged down her panties and worshiped her completely. She moaned and panted, tugging on my hair all while her back squeaked against the glass of the mirror.

The bathtub almost overflowed.

We soaked and relaxed in the tub for nearly an hour. It was the best thing we could do after that parade. I was pretty sore from being out all day and moving around so much. I knew Bella had to be as well.

I wrapped her up in one of our towels and walked behind her to the bedroom on my own. She giggled, holding my hand and tugging me towards our bed. I kissed her mouth when we got to the edge of the mattress, rubbing my hands over the terry cloth covered sides. Bella giggled again and moaned at my touch as we flopped back on the bed, Bella practically on top of me.

I weaved my fingers into her hair, kissing her wildly. Playing with her earlier and having her nude in front of me had made me beyond aroused. I was downright horny. I flipped Bella on to her back, moving on top of her as I did so. When I did so she let out a noise that you didn't want to hear when you were about to have sex with your pregnant wife.

A pained squeak.

I skittered off of her quickly, looking over her body. "Did I hurt you? Are you okay?"

She rolled her eyes at my dramatics. "I'm fine. I'm just laying on something." Bella rolled over to her side and pulled out her cell phone from underneath her. "Oops," she giggled. "At least I didn't break it."

I rolled my eyes and tried to take the thing away from her. "You're not that big, Bella."

"Wait, I've got a text message."

"Can't it wait?" I complained, my horniness returning with a vengeance now that I knew she was okay.

"What if it's important?" She reasoned, giving me a playful smile. "It'll just take a second."

She took the phone back from my grasp and turned it on, touching the buttons to bring it to life. Once she started to read her face instantly changed, her eyes welling up with tears. Bella took the phone and as hard as she possibly could threw it against the wall. With a wail, she said, "that _bitch_!"

It didn't take a genius to figure out who the problem was. I took her in my arms and tried to quiet her tears. "What did she say, love?"

Bella shook her head, shoving her face into my chest. The tears ran down my bare chest as she cried. I held her close to my body, hushing her and kissing the top of her head.

That night Bella cried herself to sleep in my arms because of the one person that was supposed to love her no matter what.

 _That bitch..._

 **So, fun fact for those who don't remember. Renee is based on my own mother. She's rather known for throwing fits on Mardi Gras. In fact, a couple of years ago on this exact parade, she told me that I, a stay at home mom, didn't want my children and told me to go to my room. Did I mention she lived in my house and I'm in my thirties? Just because she wasn't having fun. Y'all, abusive parents are exhausting. Some of y'all are wondering why she went to see her in the first place to Florida… Well, it's hard to say no when someone has suffered verbal, mental, and emotionally abusive, especially when it's by a parent. Especially when you're still just a teenager.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	28. Chapter 28

_**Bella**_

I felt the bed shift beside me, but I could barely register it. Edward must have gone to the bathroom, but I fell back into a deep sleep before he returned. I was beyond exhausted. I thought you were supposed to get a boost of energy in your second trimester, but at seventeen weeks, I was exhausted. Between the extra weight, the stuffed sensation I had, my slightly swollen feet that I was having trouble feeling, and the bizarre mood swings I simply did not have the energy.

When I did go back to sleep, I began to dream. I always had vivid dreams, but since the pregnancy, it had gotten worse. Much worse. Edward suspected that was part of the reason I was so tired. I was so very active in my sleep, tossing and turning constantly, that I wasn't actually resting. I could see his point, but there wasn't anything I could do about it anyway.

That morning I was dreaming about babies. That was not unusual for me. Sometimes it was nightmares and other times it was good dreams, but most of the time they were simply confusing. But, in my dreams, I always had two little boys. Their appearance changed, but their sex never did. Red hair, brown hair, blue eyes, green eyes, brown eyes, curly or straight hair, full lips, and Edward's strong jaw. Another thing that never changed was how adorable the children were.

I felt the bed shift beside me again and I groaned as I rolled to the side, practically slapping for Edward.

"Where did you go?" I mumbled, my eyes still shut as I tried to find him.

His long thin fingers went to my hair as pushed it out of my face, Edward's sweet voice simply inches from my ear, "I went to the kitchen."

The words confused me for some reason. Why would he go to the kitchen? "What?"

"Happy Valentine's day, Bella," he simply said, placing a soft kiss on my ear. I opened my eyes slowly to see a tray in front of me full of food. I grinned slightly. The way to a pregnant woman's heart was for sure through her stomach.

"Thank you! You didn't have to do all of this for me," I said as I began to sit up. He arranged the tray over my lap, snuggling in beside me.

"Don't be silly. I wanted to." He pecked my lips lightly. "Now, eat. I know you're hungry."

I grinned and snatched one of the muffins off of the plate in front of me. I raised an eyebrow in question. "What kind is this?"

"Banana nut."

"It smells really good, Edward. Thank you so much for this." I leaned over, kissing him fully on the lips. He pulled away smiling.

"Don't thank me just yet."

"Why not?" I asked in confusion as I took a bite of it. "Mm, it tastes better than it smells." I took another large bite before taking a sip of milk.

"Really?" He seemed so surprised by this. I wasn't sure why. I offered him a bit from my muffin and he took it from my fingertips. His eyes grew wider with shock. "Wow! They do taste good."

I laughed. "Um, did you expect them to taste bad? Gee, Edward... " I teased, nudging him gently as I laid back against the pillows. I took another bite, licking the crumbs off of my lips slowly. I didn't want to miss any.

Edward rubbed the back of his neck, looking a little nervous. "Well, it's just that I made them."

"Oh? From a box?" I asked.

"No, from scratch..." He trailed off, blushing.

I literally launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck tightly as much as I could without knocking over the tray. "Oh! You didn't have to do that! That is so sweet. This is a wonderful gift. Thank you so much! How did you...?"

He smiled, hugging me to his strong body. "Alice taught me. She's been showing me how to make things for weeks. I have the whole day planned for us if you want to. We can stay at home and I want to make lunch and dinner for you as well. I've even got a dessert in mind."

 _ **Edward**_

And then she started crying. Had I said something wrong? Bella hugged herself to me tighter, burying her face in my neck as her tears soaked the collar of my shirt. "Did I do something wrong? Honey, we can do whatever you want today. I just thought you might like to stay home and just relax. I mean, we don't have to. I just thought-"

"Oh, Edward, this is the best gift you've ever given me!" She sobbed as she began to kiss my neck, check and jaw frantically. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Bella, love, I didn't do anything big. I mean, this isn't even your gift," I tried to inform her but she shook her head at my words.

"How long have you been working with Alice?" Bella asked as she pulled back, a watery smile on her face.

"Um... since they got back from their honeymoon. Once or twice a week. She just wanted to show me some basics and then the past couple of weeks we've been working on meals for today. I think I'm going to keep seeing if she can help me. I'm really enjoying it. We've been meeting up on Tuesday and Thursday mornings when you have class," I explained it all, hoping that for some reason this wouldn't make her cry. Everything made her cry lately. I just wanted her happy. I couldn't handle the tears of any kind very well.

She placed both hands on my face and pulled me towards her, kissing my lips fully. "I think that is wonderful."

I grinned at her words, kissing her forehead in return. "Good. Now eat, love."

After breakfast we had a not so quick shower where we washed and cleaned each other's bodies, kissing and touching as we went. It was nothing too sexual but it was relaxing. After that, I sat on the vanity counter, wrapped in a towel as I kept Bella company as she dried her hair. When she was done, I motioned for her to come to me and she did so quite willingly. I hopped down and came behind her, wrapping my hands around her stomach. As I kissed the side of her neck as I whispered, "my loves."

Bella cried _again_.

After drying her tears we went into the living room to relax for a while. I sat on the couch and watched television while Bella laid across me, clicking away on the computer. She had been doing it a lot lately and I knew it wasn't homework. She had been getting more and more into her writing.

"You are so cute like this," I said, running my hand over her knee gently.

She looked up at me with a grin. Bella closed the laptop and placed it on the coffee table in front of us. She leaned forward and gave me a gentle kiss. "You know, I think it's time for your gift."

I raised an eyebrow. "A gift, eh?"

"Yes, a gift. It's not as sweet as yours but I figured you'd like it. It's not romantic at all, I have to admit," Bella said with a sigh as she went over to her purse.

"You don't even know what my gift is. Cooking for you is not your gift," I said firmly. I could tell she was purposefully trying to ignore me. _So, she is going to go for a new approach_. Well, she was going to learn quickly that just because she denies it, it does not mean it doesn't exist. "I was going to wait until dinner to give you yours."

Once again, she ignored me. I smirked, chuckling to myself as she came padding over to me. Bella plopped down onto my lap, an envelope in her hand. "Here, open."

I gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek, taking the paper from her fingertips. "Thank you, love." When I opened it, I grinned before bursting out in laughter.

"Is it that bad?" She ducked her head, blushing brightly.

"No, love. It's perfect. Thank you."

She tried to snatch it away from my fingers. "God, it's so unromantic. It's awful," Bella groaned loudly when I put my arm up, placing the five hundred dollar gift certificate out of her range. Pouting, she whined, "give it back. I'll get you something else."

I laughed, "I love it. Stop worrying so much."

It was a five hundred dollar gift certificate for car detailing and washing. Bella, always the practical one. She was right, it was unromantic, but nothing else could have been better. It was perfect for me. She knew me far too well.

 _ **Bella**_

After Edward reassured me several times about the gift he finally decided to shut me up by kissing me. I had to admit that was an effective way to do that. We ended up making out on the couch until it was lunchtime. Edward made us a simple meal of Jasper's recipe macaroni and cheese. It was simple and perfect and utterly comforting. After lunch, we decided to lay down for a nap. I was having trouble staying awake halfway through my plate. It was so just much carbs and dairy.

It took less than ten seconds for me to fall asleep.

 _Two beautiful green-eyed boys with vivid red hair were standing beside me. They were, at the very most, three years old. They were a spitting image of their father. Beautiful and perfect little cherubs with cherry cheeks and full pouting lips. They gazed up at me..._

 _Then I realized that they weren't. They weren't looking at me or anything at all for that matter. They were completely blind and pleading for me. Asking where I was when I was standing right beside them. I felt my heart shatter at the sight. I grabbed up one of the boys in my arms, hugging him tightly to me but the other boy still cried. I saw Edward standing in front of me with his back turned. I called to him, begging him to help. He looked over his shoulder for only a second before walking away and leaving me alone with both children. They were still crying._

I woke up screaming.

Edward came running into the room, fear in his eyes. "Bella?! Bella, honey, are you okay?"

I shook my head, whimpering quietly. He instantly came to the bed and held me tightly. I hugged him close to me, burying my head in his neck and sobbed. He hushed and rocked me, rubbing my back gingerly.

"What was the dream about?" He instantly knew the problem.

I shook my head again. Edward sighed and nodded, knowing not to push the matter anymore. I couldn't and wouldn't voice this dream to him, or anyone for that matter. It was far too hard. It hurt to even think about.

After I finally cried myself out, Edward whispered quietly in my ear. "Dinner is almost ready if you're hungry?"

"What did you make?" I asked quietly, too afraid my voice would crack from my throat being so sore.

"Lasagna and salad." He stroked my hair.

I moaned softly at the very idea of it. "And, you made it yourself?"

"Sure did. Are you sure you want to eat it?" He teased softly, stroking my hair still sweetly.

I smiled up at him, "yes, please."

 _ **Edward**_

Bella refused to tell me what was wrong. I knew she wouldn't tell me, so it did not do any good to push. She would tell me if and when she was ready.

We were done with dinner and about to have dessert, the one thing I didn't make that day when I decided it was time for her present. I went to the kitchen and put the cake on a tray, along with two plates, two glasses of milk, and the two square matching red velvet boxes.

When I came back in and sat the tray on the table, Bella sighed. "Edward..."

"Don't argue with me," I said firmly. "Please?" I softened my tone, looking at her from underneath my eyelashes. She sighed once more and picked up the box closest to her. She gasped as she opened it. Inside was a silver chain necklace with a single large diamond heart and on either side two smaller solid silver hearts. "So you know that you always have my heart and the hearts of our two beautiful children."

"Oh, Edward..."

I smiled, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "Open the other one."

"Too much already," she complained weakly.

"Well, this one isn't really for you. You're just holding them until they're ready," I assured her. She looked at me confused, her eyebrows knit together. "Just open and see," I chuckled.

She lifted the box lid slowly and looked at the tiny silver bracelets. Bella lifted one out, examining the two tiny diamond hearts and the tiny silver heart in the center. The other bracelet was exactly the same. "What are these?"

"They are bracelets for our daughters. That way they'll always know they have their parents heart and their sister's."

Bella laughed, tears welling up in her eyes again. "Oh, are you so sure it's going to be girls? We haven't had an ultrasound that says that yet."

"I am completely positive." I grinned at her happily. She shook her head, her long brown hair bouncing as she did so. Bella rolled her eyes at my smile.

"Edward, what if we don't have girls?"

I picked her up off of her chair and pulled her down into my lap. I lightly kissed her neck as I wrapped my arms around her waist. I playfully hummed in thought, resting my chin on her shoulder. "Well then, I think we'll just have to keep trying until we have two girls as beautiful as their mother."

 **Bella was already weepy af, pregnancy doesn't help. But at least they're mostly good tears. Who else had terrible dreams during pregnancy?**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	29. Chapter 29

_**Bella**_

"Mom!" Edward said happily as he hugged Esme tightly. She had decided to come to visit us just the weekend before. It was the big day, I supposed. It was the ultrasound that would let us know the sex of the babies, hopefully. I had a strong feeling she simply didn't want to hear the news over the phone. That, and she wanted to start shopping right away. At twenty-one weeks, I thought it was too soon but I knew there would be no stopping her once she got started.

"There is my beautiful girl!" Esme said, pulling away from her son. She hugged me tightly, giving me a big smile. I smiled at Edward over her shoulder who was rolling his eyes.

"I'm not important anymore, I see." Edward teased, shutting the front door of our house.

"Oh, you're important, dear." Esme smiled playfully. "She's just more important right now. Bella is holding some very precious cargo." My mother in law touched my stomach, grinning wildly. "How are my babies today?"

"Squirmy."

Esme took my hand and led me over to one of the couches in the living room. "You'll have to get used to that. How have you been feeling?"

"Huge," I replied simply. Edward came to the couch and sat beside me, taking my hand.

"You are not. I wish you would stop saying that."

"I'll stop saying that when it stops being true," I quipped back quickly.

Esme looked between us, a knowing smile on her face. "Bella, dear, I know you feel that way right now but it's just going to get worse."

I laughed at the shocked expression on Edward's face. "You're not helping, Mother!"

"Dear, do you think she's not going to get any larger? Do you think she doesn't already know that? She's going to be huge! But, that's okay. She is supposed to be. This is your time to eat when and what you want and get away with it, Bella. Use this time wisely!"

I laughed again, just happy finally someone understood. Edward smirked over at me and sighed before giving me a light kiss on the cheek. "We should get ready to go. We need to leave in twenty minutes. Mom, do you want to come?" He offered.

"No no, dear. It's okay. It'll be too crowded. How about we meet up for lunch afterward?" She offered. "I'll go freshen up at the hotel. We can eat there after your appointment. How about that?"

"That sounds great," I agreed.

 _ **Edward**_

"What do you mean they couldn't tell?!" My mother said, annoyed as she looked over the black and white pictures that the ultrasound tech took. To me, they looked like blobs still, but Bella claimed she could tell what everything was. She tried to point out the eyes and nose at one point on one of the twins, and I suppose that it could have been those things, but there was no way to be really sure with a blurry picture like that.

"They weren't being very helpful," Bella said after nibbling on a bit of the French bread the waiter just placed on the table. "They're kind of cuddled into each other, all twisted together. We're just going to have to try again later. The doctor said not to be too surprised though if we can't."

Mom sighed, one of her thin fingers stroking one of the white blobs on the plastic like paper. "Well, that's okay. Kind of sweet, really. They were really cuddling?"

"One has it's arm around the other and their legs were kind of wrapped around each other." I smiled at the thought of them being so close already. I kind of wished I had a sibling to be that way with when I was a child. I was almost a little jealous. My friends were honestly the closest I had ever gotten to anything like that.

"Aw," she sighed happily. "So sweet already." My mother grinned. "What would you like to have? Girls or boy?"

I heard Bella sigh heavily beside me, making me laugh. This was an argument we had had a many a time already. "I want girls."

My mother looked over at Bella who simply shrugged. "Boys."

"Well, this should be interesting, to say the least," my mother commented before the waiter came to the table with our food.

"I'd be happy with either one, but I'd love to have a daughter or two I can spoil. Bella knows how I feel about that." I grinned over at my wife, squeezing her thigh underneath the table. She returned a weak smile, turning her eyes back to her plate. I sighed, wishing I knew why the sudden mood change. It was so hard to tell sometimes, especially now that she was pregnant. She was constantly on a rollercoaster. I decided not to ask which was probably the safest route at the moment. I knew she wouldn't want to talk about it in front of my mother and I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

 _ **Bella**_

I sat on the porch swing outside, letting the warm spring air flow over my face. Closing my eyes, I let my mind go blank for once. It always seemed like I had so much to consider and think about. It was starting to give me a headache.

"Something on your mind?" I heard the familiar female voice ask.

I shook my head, refusing to open my eyes just yet. "Just relaxing."

"Ah, I see. I wasn't sure. Especially with earlier," Esme said, the wood creaking as she sat down beside me.

I finally opened my eyes and looked over at her. Her long caramel colored hair was twisted in a tight bun at the base of her neck. She was wearing a pair of trendy white capris with a deep black cotton tank top, silver flowers at the top. She was gorgeous from head to toe and looked far too young to be a grandmother. She could have been still having children at this point. I sighed, taking a deep breath.

"What about earlier?"

"At dinner. You got very quiet, dear. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I lied, looking away from her once again.

"Bella, you can talk to me about anything. I'm here for you," she reassured sweetly. "Are you disappointed about not finding out?"

"No," I told her truthfully. I wasn't sure I wanted to know that or not. "It's just-" I began but stopped myself, shaking my head quickly. "Nothing. It's nothing, really."

"It's not _nothing_ if it's bothering you. I can't help if you don't tell me."

"I don't think anyone can help with this," I muttered sullenly down at my fingertips, playing and picking at my nails nervously.

"You never know, dear. Please?" Esme said sweetly, her mothering voice so smooth and warm. I wondered if I would ever be like her. She was what a real mother was like, caring no matter what.

"It's just that... Well, Edward wants more children after this already and I'm not even entirely sure if I'm ready for these two completely and I doubt I'll want more. It just makes me feel guilty. I want to give him everything he wants, but I'm not sure I can give him this," I said in a rush. I was hoping that like ripping off a band-aid it would hurt less if I got it done faster. "And he freaked out so much when he wasn't sure if I wanted these."

"I see," Esme said after a moment, the time ticking away between us. "Bella, I'm going to tell you something I never told anyone before. So, I need you to promise not to tell, okay?"

"Of course," I said, surprised at her suddenly very serious expression.

"Carlisle was the one that wanted children, not me. So, when I was pregnant with Edward I was less than thrilled, truthfully. I mean, I was excited, in a way, but it was so scary as well. I was happy but I felt like I wasn't as happy as I should have been. And then what happened-" She stopped, shaking her head of the bad memories. "The mugging felt like a punishment. I felt even more guilty after he was born because I loved him instantly. And as he grew up, I realized something..."

"What's that?" I asked quietly, too afraid to ruin this moment between us.

"I wanted to feel that joy again. That joy of having a small child in your arms. I wanted to give him a brother or a sister, but I couldn't. It was almost as if it was God's cruel joke. Do you know why I'm telling you this, dear?" I shook my head in response, too sad to speak. "That it's okay to feel the way you do, but sometimes you don't know what you want until it's gone and you never know how you will feel later. And, after these beautiful babies are born and you don't want anymore, that's fine. Trust me, I can understand that. You should tell Edward about how you feel though. I wish I would have told Carlisle. I think it would have made the guilt easier to handle in the end."

"Thank you," I whispered, giving her a weak smile. "You're right. I should talk to him about it. I know he'll understand. It'll be just... so hard."

"But living with something you don't think you can handle is hard too. Secrets are hard, Bella. They make your life something twisted and hard to deal with. It's easier now just to be honest with him."

I nodded my head, leaning over to give her a big hug. She was more of a mother than what my mother was to me. I would have thought I would feel guilty for thinking that, but I didn't. Not at all. She was a wonderful woman and I was honored to have her in my life.

 **Edward**

Bella and my mom were chatting on the porch as I worked on some homework in our study. I wanted to get everything done before the weekend and the only way I was going to do that was by putting it into gear that night. I was having trouble concentrating though. It especially didn't help when my phone rang.

"Hello?" I said, backspacing several times on something I had just written. Nothing was coming out right at the moment. It was really starting to tick me off.

"Edward, son! How are you?"

"Hey, Dad. Decent. How are you?" I said, closing my laptop. Working was completely pointless, for then anyway. I would have to try again later.

"Good, good," he said in a rush. I could tell he wanted to move onto a different subject. "So, do I need to buy ballet slippers or baseball mitts?"

I laughed at the way he asked that question. "Would it matter if my sons did ballet or my daughters played baseball?"

"Oh, don't be like that. Your mother hasn't told me and she said she'd call. So, what is it? Girls or boys?"

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. "Not a clue. They couldn't tell."

"Well, damn. That does happen sometimes. Perhaps you should get a 4-d done."

"4-d?" I asked as I stood, going off to look for the two lovely women in the house. "What's that?"

"Ah, fancy ultrasound. You can see more. I wonder if Shreveport is large enough to have something like that?"

"Not sure. We could always take a trip up to Chicago and-"

"Do you honestly want to make Bella fly again?" My father laughed as he thought of the last time she had flown. It was not pretty in the least. I was sure he didn't want a mess on the plane.

"You're right," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "So, would you like to talk to Mom?" I asked as I stopped at the back door. I could see Bella hugging my mom, large tears in her eyes. I sighed, wondering why she was crying. I always felt bad when she did. It was hard for her to stop these days.

"Yes, please. She's not answering her cell phone."

I opened the door and caught the attention of my wife and mother. They broke apart but not before mom kissed her forehead.

"Dad's on the phone for you."

"Oh, thank you, Edward," Mom said as she stood, brushing off her backside. "I'll take this in the house." She took the phone from my hands and pressed a light kiss on my cheek. "Go keep Bella company. She needs you right now."

 _ **Bella**_

"Are you okay, love?" Edward asked, wrapping a tight arm around my shoulder after he sat beside me once his mother had left to go inside to talk to his father. I nodded my head, not trusting my voice to answer. My throat already felt so rough without a single tear being shed. I leaned my head onto his shoulder, taking a deep breath as I closed my eyes.

"Tired," I half lied. I was tired, but that wasn't the problem. I was always tired. Even though I had just had that talk with Esme, I wasn't sure if I was ready to tell Edward yet. I needed to build up my courage a bit more for that to happen. Rome was not built in a day.

"Do you need me to get you anything?" He offered, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead all while his hand soothingly went up and down my arm. I sighed in pleasure, enjoying the sensation of being so near to him. He was so warm and comforting. It was hard not to sink into him. I wanted to melt into him and just lose myself. I wanted all my fear and worries to go away. Edward had a way of doing that to me. I wondered if he knew that power over me, but somehow I kind of doubted it.

"I love you," I said suddenly, not opening my eyes as I spoke. "So much so. I don't deserve you at all."

"Why would you say that?" A frown forming on his pretty face I realized as I opened my eyes. I didn't want that to happen. I moved my fingers over his cheeks, trying to coax the beautiful crooked smile that I loved so much. I sighed heavily when it did not come.

"Because it's the truth."

"You're impossible," he sighed this time, shaking his head. "And, oh so wrong."

Edward's lips pressed against mine softly and I suddenly felt hungry for them. I needed them. I knotted my fingers into his hair, pulling him closer to me. He moaned into the kiss, closing his eyes as we devoured each other happily. His hands slid down to my hips, his fingers massaging the little bits of skin that were exposed as my shirt rode up with the movement.

"I love you," I repeated as I pulled away panting.

"I love you, too," he whispered, brushing a piece of hair behind my ear. "Why don't we go inside and get you something to snack on, huh?"

I nodded my head, giving him a weak smile as I did so. Somehow he always knew what I needed.

 _ **Edward**_

I knew Bella was sad but I wasn't sure why. The only thing I was sure of was that she would not tell me why. The doctor warned us that she may suffer from bouts of depression and that it was normal to an extent, but it still scared and worried me. I didn't know what to do. She tried to pretend for my sake, but I hated that more. I hated that she felt like she had to do that for me for some reason. That night after my mother went to the hotel, Bella fell asleep curled away from me, clutching the pillow tightly to her chest.

She was pulling away from me and I didn't know why. Had I done something wrong? I felt guilty and I had no idea why. Was I not being a good husband? Did she really not want these babies? I didn't even know how to talk to her about it with her without making it worse. I needed time to think about it, on my own. I didn't feel like anyone could understand where I was coming from. None of my friends had pregnant wives and my father was a thousand miles away. I didn't want to talk to him about it over the phone either.

I woke early in the morning, around seven. The sky was still hazy with the early morning fog, the cloud barely tinted orange from the rising sun. I sighed as I saw Bella. She looked troubled even in her sleep. I leaned over, pressing a kiss to her cheek. I had to think of a way to bring this up to her without upsetting her.

"Bella, love, I need to get some school work done. I'm going to go to the library for a few hours. I'll be back around noon and we'll go to lunch with my mom, alright?" I whispered in her ear, waiting for her to respond. Her eyes didn't even open as she spoke.

"That's fine, honey. See you then," Bella mumbled sleepily.

"I love you," I whispered fiercely before pressing a solid kiss to her cheek, letting my lips linger on her sweet skin for as long as I could before finally pulling away.

This she did open her beautiful brown eyes for, turning them towards me. "I love you, too, Edward."

Much to my surprise, I did get some work done that morning. It was more mindless typing than anything else really, so I was able to let my mind wander. I also got a lot of thinking done at that time and I knew exactly what I was going to do once I got home and got Bella alone. That is until I started to walk through the school on my way back to the car.

"Edward?" The familiar voice said in a thick accent. I turned towards the noise, my eyes going wide. The petite blond with bright blue eyes and a soft smile was standing before me, leaning against the wall of the hallway across from me.

"Irina?"

 _ **Bella**_

I woke up completely a couple of minutes after Edward had left and simply stared at the ceiling. I wouldn't be seeing Esme until lunch time and I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do with myself with all this alone time. It only left me with my thoughts. I wasn't exactly sure if I wanted that at the moment. My thoughts were not a happy place.

How did you tell your husband that you didn't want to have any more of his children? Or rather, that I wasn't sure I did. This was almost as hard as telling him I was pregnant in the first place. How did I explain it?

This scared me for some reason. Now knowing that he wanted children so badly. I could see it in his eyes every time he talked about them. He had so much love in them already. It hurt a little to look at it. I felt like I was taking that away from him.

I knew what my main fear was though. It was the fear that he would think that I didn't want these children, the ones I was carrying. But, I did. I already loved them, in a special way. They were mine and I couldn't wait to hold them in my arms. But, would he understand that? He was already so sensitive to it.

It was all just so complicated and I hated that. I needed things to be simple for a while. Everything was just going by so fast. Time seemed to be flowing past me, leaving me behind.

I looked over at my cell phone on the nightstand and sighed. Edward would be a few more hours, at the very least. I didn't need to be alone. So, I did something I never thought I would do. I reached for the thin piece of plastic and metal and pressed a single number, waiting for my friend to answer.

"Hey, Alice. How about some retail therapy?"

 _ **Edward**_

"Irina," I muttered stupidly and a little too loudly. "What are you doing here?"

Irina grinned as she walked closer to me, a soft pink blush covering her full cheeks. I pressed myself to the wall, feeling completely uncomfortable. "I do teach here, Edward."

"Yeah," I said, reminding myself how to move again. I needed to get out of there and quickly. Bella was already bothered by something and I didn't need to make it worse. Actually, Irina didn't need to make it worse. I would not allow that.

"I need to get going," I said quickly, turning my back to her.

"How are you?" She said to me loudly. I cursed to myself, feeling eyes on me in the crowded hallway. I was obviously starting to get attention because of the fact that I was practically running away from a professor.

"Well, thank you. I really must-"

"And, how is Bella?"

I turned back around despite myself, eying her with concern. Why the hell would she ask that question? I knew, in all honesty, she didn't care. I wanted to cut off the line of questioning very quickly. I figured the pregnancy was the way to do that.

"Fine. She's due sometime in July," I said, simply hoping to shut her up. I practically felt the eyes get bored and wander off for just a second. Until she spoke again, loudly.

"Are they're yours?"

The words utterly and totally shocked me. How could she even consider that a possibility that they weren't? I was her husband. Bella obviously had a good reason for hitting her, seeing this side of her now. Maybe that punch had damaged her brain.

"I can't- What the... Why the hell would you ask that?!" I finally stuttered out, flustered too much to speak in a complete sentence.

"Well, I didn't think that-" She said, blushing with her eyes turned down towards the ground. All eyes were on us again, the conversation obviously heated but I didn't care.

"No, you didn't think," I said tersely in a dangerously low tone, striding away from her purposefully. I didn't turn back to look at her. I was just so angry at this insane woman that I wanted to scream.

 _ **Bella**_

"Okay. So, what's wrong with you that you want to shop?" Alice asked seriously as we began to stroll through the Boardwalk. It wasn't Alice's favorite place, but I didn't want to be confined. The outdoor setting was far more relaxing and the late March day was perfect for that. The weather was cool and there was a slight breeze coming from the river.

I shrugged my shoulders, stopping at a window to look at something. It was a tight black dress with an extremely low V neck, dipping almost down to the belly button. I sighed, knowing I wouldn't be able to wear that for a while. If ever again for that matter. _Damn skinny ass plastic people_.

"I just needed to get out."

"Yeah, but you hate shopping," she pointed out, stopping beside me and cocking her head to the side. Alice made a little face and then tugged my hand so we could continue. "Bella, talk to me."

"I'm just confused."

"Isn't that a natural state of being?" She teased and then saw my expression, sobering up very quickly. "What are you confused about?"

"How could I want these kids and not want more?"

She bit her lip, thinking about it for a moment. "Two is a good number. I can see why you'd want to stick with that. Why? How many does Edward want?"

"Honestly? I don't know. But, I think it more than I'm willing to have."

"Have you guys talked about it?" She asked, pulling me into the Fossil store. I wasn't sure what she was looking for, just anything in general. I picked up a pair of sunglasses, turning them over in my fingers. She noticed my lack of answer and sighed. "You need to speak to him. You did this last time as well," she added. "And look how well that turned out."

"But, this is different," I tried to defend my cowardice. It wasn't really working that well and I knew it. I bit my lip, waiting for her response.

"Bella, what is your real worry?" Alice asked, surprising me.

I had no idea what to say to that. There were so many things that I was afraid of truthfully. "I don't know," I whispered.

Alice tugged me outside and sat me down on one of the benches before she spoke again, "Edward loves you no matter what."

"I know that."

"Do you?" She asked very seriously. "He adores you, Bella. You are his life, just like he's yours. You need to stop being so scared and start living your life with him. He's not going anywhere, baby. He's in it for the long haul."

I nodded my head, giving her a weak smile. She patted my arm. "Well, since I got you here, let's do some shopping!"

 **I was asked with both my children if they were my husband's. People are fun. (I wrote this story originally while very pregnant) Stay classy, Irina. You might just get what's coming to you.**

 **Reviews are motivation. Send loads, please?**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	30. Chapter 30

_**Edward**_

Once I got back into my car I let out a heavy breath of relief. I didn't want any more of her in my life. I had enough. I had enough happiness and enough stress. I didn't need anything else to take up my time. It took all I had to deal with all that was going on with Bella and myself. Between school, doctor, babies, friends, and families I barely had enough energy to make it to my bed at night.

I looked at my cell phone and saw that it was just past 11:30. I knew my mother would be calling soon for lunch. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with us. I wasn't sure if I was exactly up for that right then but I knew I would have to suck it up either way. It really wasn't my choice anyway. I decided to call Bella to see if she needed anything on my way home. Maybe she wasn't feeling well and we could get out of it, just stay the day at home.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my mom but I needed a break.

I tried home first and I started to panic a little when no one answered. I knew it was sort of irrational to freak out like that. She was a grown woman and went out on her own. Perhaps she was already with my mother. _That's probably all it is_ , I thought to myself as I tried to calm down. I just hated leaving her alone since she went to the hospital around the new year. I was always worried about her.

I dialed Bella's cell phone next, waiting impatiently for her to pick up. After three rings she finally did, much to my relief.

"Hey, honey," she yelled over the background noise.

"Where in the world are you?" I asked, a little surprised. I didn't know of anywhere she would be where there would be that much noise. I could hear music and talk, and then a loud ringing bell. It was rather odd actually. It almost sounded as if it was a trolley.

"Oh, I'm at the Boardwalk with Alice." She yelled.

"I'm sorry," I said dryly, making her laugh softly. The twinkling sound warming my soul in so many ways.

"No, it was my idea. I wanted to get out for a little while," she replied.

"Ask Alice to check to see if you have a fever for me."

"Ha. Ha. Ha. You're so funny, Edward Cullen," Bella said, slightly annoyed at my teasing. I knew she wasn't really that put off by it. It was rather cute actually. "Why don't you call your mom and we can all meet here? We'll have sushi."

"Bella, you're not supposed to eat sushi when you're pregnant," I said in a warning tone.

"I'm going to have sushi," Bella said offhandedly. I knew she wasn't going to listen to me, but it was worth a try at least.

"Bella-"

"I'm having sushi," she said in a voice so firm that it surprised me.

"DON'T ARGUE WITH THE PREGNANT WOMAN! SHE'S SCARY!" I heard Alice shout into the phone with a laugh. I heard a loud pop and then the laughter increased. "OW! She hit me! Edward, come save me!"

"Stop hitting your friends, love," I teased.

"Why? It's so much fun," she said in a playful voice. I could almost see the smug little smile on her face as she glared at Alice. I was sure within a minute someone would be sticking out their tongue.

"You may want to hang out with her later."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Bella sighed dramatically, earning another laugh in the background from Alice. "Go ahead and call your mother, okay? We'll meet you at Sushiko at around 12:15?"

"Sounds good to me." I smiled at her happiness. I needed it more than air. "I'll call you when I get there if I get there early. I love you."

"I love you, too," she sighed softly. "Bye."

 _ **Bella**_

After the phone call with Edward, we still had about forty-five minutes to kill. I wasn't exactly sure where we were going to go. After Alice's little stunt I wasn't going to allow her to try to shop for me anymore. I wouldn't be a Barbie doll for her to play with anymore.

We wandered around the Boardwalk, going towards the middle section. We had been skimming the outer ends, trying to avoid all the people since it was so crowded but we had gone to all those shops and we needed something else new to look at.

"Aw," Alice stopped in front of Carter's children store. I had never been inside it before. I had always simply just passed it by. "Look at how cute!" She gushed with a big smile. "Do you want to go in?"

"I don't know," I said, gazing at the outfits curiously.

"It'll be fun to at least look. And think of it this way, I can't buy you any clothes in there."

I sighed and smiled. "Alright. Anything to not try anything else on."

Alice giggled and wrapped a loose arm around my shoulder. I leaned against her, almost as if it was much-needed support.

Everything was divided by gender mostly, but there was a lot of soft greens, yellows, and some purples that would be good for girls or boys. For some reason, I couldn't stop grinning when I looked at them. I walked forward and picked up a white sleeper, dotted with yellow and green dots, a set of duckies all in a row across the little bottom. I giggled, lifting it up to take a better look.

"Aw, that is so cute!" Alice said in a babyish voice. "Can't you see your little ones wearing those?"

"I can," I nodded my head. "I really can."

 _ **Edward**_

I picked my mom up from her hotel which wasn't more than five minutes away from the Boardwalk. We chit chatted about whatever came to mind. She talked about her business and how she was thinking about retirement. I knew my dad was considering it as well. They had the money to relax and now they wanted to use it to spoil their grandkids. I had a sneaky feeling that whatever place Bella and me settled, they would have a small home there. Probably big enough for them and their grandkids. They may not live there all the time, but I was sure they visit... a _lot_.

"How is Bella feeling?" My mom asked as we parked, stepping out of the car and closing the door behind her gently. She was handling the Volvo with kid gloves. It was a little funny but nice at the same time. She knew it was my baby.

"She seemed rather depressed last night, but she seemed happier when I talked to her on the phone," I told her honestly.

She nodded her head thoughtfully. "Bella's having a rough time right now. She's confused and scared."

"What is she confused about?" I asked, surprised at her words. She knew more than me.

My mother bit her lip and I knew she said something she didn't mean to say. "Bella is young and-"

"Mom-" I warned, wanting only the truth from her. If she knew something that would help I needed to know.

"It's not my place, honey!" My mother defended herself quickly. "If I did, I would have told you already. It's nothing too bad, it's just a lot to handle. She wasn't expecting this and she is still trying to deal with what God has given her. Babies aren't all sugar and sunshine, dear. I know you're excited and all."

"I know, I know," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I just don't know what to do to make her feel better. I know it won't be perfect but it's still great. But right now, I just feel so useless. I just want her happiness, Mom."

"Sometimes there isn't anything you can do. Sometimes you just have to let people deal with it on their own. She will come to you when she's ready. Give her a few days to let her deal with her thoughts."

Our conversation ended when we came to the front of the restaurant. Bella was holding a few large bags and had a very big smile on her face. I grinned back, unable to stop myself. She was beyond beautiful when she looked like that.

"My goodness. What did you buy?" I laughed as we sat down at the table.

"She bought out the baby store," Alice laughed after she sat down beside my mother. She leaned over, giving my mom a one-armed hug. "Good to see you again, Esme."

"You too, dear," my mom smiled before turning her attention back to my very happy wife. "Let me see! You should have called me!"

"Well, it's nothing major. It's just stuff that boys or girls can wear since we don't know yet. I got two of each."

"In each size," Alice added in a giggle. "I've never seen Bella shop like that before. It was scary."

"Damn, woman. We're going to need a bigger house," I teased, trying to pull one of the bags away from my mom to look. She slapped at my hand, not even looking up as she rummaged through. She pulled out something, turning it back and forth. I looked at it confused for a moment. I had never seen anyone wear anything like that before. "What's that?"

"It's a onesie. See, it snaps at the bottom." Bella explained, taking the yellow and white striped outfit and turned it over. She ran her fingers over it, a dazed look in her eyes.

"Is that a duck on its butt?"

My mother started to laugh at my confusion, placing her hands over her eyes as she tried to sober up.

"Oh, you'll have to get use that."

 _ **Bella**_

Alice pulled out an outfit with a giggle. "Look, this one has frogs!"

"Why would anyone want frogs on their ass?" Esme slapped Edward's hand then laughed. "What?" Edward laughed in return. "I mean, yes, it's cute. But why?" He looked at me with a happy expression and I couldn't help but smile back.

"You just don't understand," my mother in law laughed. "Another thing you'll have to get used to. Okay, Bella, next time you get the urge to shop, please call me! I want to help you."

"Good lord. Just buy us another house to store all this stuff while you're at it," Edward teased, smiling slyly. "Now, how about we figure out some lunch?"

Everything at that moment seemed almost perfect.

 _ **Edward**_

Later that night we came home and collapsed into bed. It wasn't late but we both got up early. I had a lot on my mind. Bella crawled beside me, laying her head on my stomach. Her fingers drew little patterns on my skin, her hot breath flowing over my chest.

"What's on your mind?" Bella asked softly, gazing up at me.

"I'm not sure I want to tell you," I told her truthfully. She looked at me confused, lifting up slightly to look at me. I sighed, rubbing a hand over the back of my neck roughly. "I saw Irina today at school."

"Oh," she mumbled, laying back down but this time she was not on top of me. "What did she do?"

"Just talk."

"About?" Bella urged, earning another sigh from me. I didn't really want to answer this question at all. "Edward, what about?" She asked again when I did not answer.

"She was just being..." I shook my head. "It doesn't matter. I didn't hang around long enough to have a real conversation with her honestly. I didn't really want to tell you because it was nothing and I didn't want to upset you. You were just so happy today. But, I don't know what to do about her. And, I just don't want there to be any secrets between us. Maybe I should have reported her to the school but, I didn't want to get you in trouble. And now it feels like it's too late. And all she did was talk in public. It feels like so much to keep to myself. I don't know what to do," I repeated.

Bella frowned, running an absent hand over her stomach as she thought. After a moment she nodded. "Sometimes there are some things that need to be kept to yourself though," he voice was almost distance.

"Would you want me to keep that to myself?" I asked her in surprise.

Bella closed her eyes. She almost looked pained. "No, not that. It's just-"

"Honey, tell me what you have on your mind that has been bothering you. Before this. It'll make you feel better." I rolled over to my side and placed a hand on her cheek, rubbing my thumb over her temple.

"I don't want any more kids."

I fumbled with myself after the words left my mouth, just so surprised that they stumbled out like that. Edward was completely still underneath me as if I had hit him. He was just as shocked by the suddenness of this declaration. I didn't mean it to come out that way, so I tried to fix it. "I mean, I don't know if I'll always feel this way but..." I trailed off, not knowing how to finish that.

"You know, I read in one of the books that-" He began in a soft tone but I cut him off quickly before he could finish.

"I swear to God, Edward! Don't mention those books again! This is about how I feel! I don't need to know what a book thinks. I need to know what you think!" I nearly growled out, the anger in my voice surprising me. I was so sick of those stupid books. They meant nothing to me and I hated how he liked to quote them. I felt him go still underneath me again.

"How long?" He asked suddenly, his face blank of all emotions.

Confused, I asked, "what?"

"How long have you felt like this Bella?" He rephrased the question slowly, his face gaunt and his mouth in a hard line after he finished. I could see his jaw clench as he looked to the side.

"I don't know," I shrugged as I sat up, not really looking at him. I couldn't look at him right then, not while we were talking about this and he looked that way. "A while, I guess."

"So, you've let me go on and on about this, like a fool," he said angrily, his face flushing with frustration and sadness. Edward's eyes were shut tightly as he said this, crinkled around the edges.

"See," I sighed," this! This is why I didn't want to tell you. You're mad now." I crossed my arms over my chest and laid back against the headboard.

"I'm mad because you didn't tell me! Why? Why don't you trust me?" He demanded. I had never seen him this way before. He almost seemed... _disappointed_ , not in what I said but in me. He had never been that way before. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

"Of course I trust you," I gasped. "Why would you even say that?"

"Do you honestly have to ask that?" He mumbled, getting out of bed quickly, each movement sharp. He slipped on a pair of flip flops after throwing on a pair of sleep pants and a tee shirt. He had been all ready for bed, already in his boxers when we had laid down.

"Where are you going?" I demanded, getting a little angry myself.

"I... I just need to get away for a bit. You understand that, don't you?" He didn't look at me as he said that, grabbing up his keys, wallet, and cell phone.

I felt the burn of his words, feeling resentment towards them. But, I had no one to blame for them but myself. I had brought them onto myself. I brought them onto myself when I walked out on him when he told me about Irina that first time.

"Leaving solves nothing," I pleaded with him, willing him to stay. If anyone would know that, that would be me.

He sighed, standing at the doorway of our bedroom. "No, it doesn't," he whispered before walking out.

 _ **Edward**_

I climbed into the car, not looking back as I did so. I couldn't and didn't want to anyway. Frustrated, I was just so damn _frustrated_. Honestly, if she didn't want more kids that was fine but why did she have to hide it from me. Why was she babying me? She should have told me right away. Did she honestly think that I could not handle it? Could she not trust me with her feelings? If she couldn't why did she bother marrying me?

I didn't realize where I was headed until I was halfway there on the parkway by the river. I sighed, _running to mommy is just so manly._ I didn't know who else to talk to though. So, I followed the empty road along the Red River as it glittered with the lights coming from the bridges and boats. It was almost beautiful, but I couldn't even think about that when I felt the way I did.

I sat outside the hotel for several minutes before I dialed my mother's number, building up my courage to speak to her. It was around ten and I was just hoping that she was still awake at that point. I had never really talked to my mother this way before. This was usually my father's field. But, my mom was so kind that I knew she would listen to me no matter what.

"Edward? Is something wrong?" She asked in a concerned voice instantly. I had no idea how she could do that. Motherly instincts, I suppose. I assumed that she thought that was something wrong with the babies or Bella, but I was sure she didn't know it was me.

"Um, would you mind meeting me in the lobby in about five minutes?" I asked, my voice rough with the emotions I had been holding in.

"Sure. I'll be down there as soon as possible," she said quickly before hanging up her cell phone to get ready. I stepped out into the parking garage, making my way towards the hotel's lobby.

"Why, Mom? Why doesn't she trust me?" I asked as I sat in the tiny twenty four hour coffee shop, a hot tea clutched in both hands after I had explained what had happened between us in the hours before.

"She does trust you," my mother tried to assure me, but it wasn't really working.

"It sure as hell doesn't feel like it," I mumbled almost to myself.

"Edward, Language!" She scolded with a sigh.

I ducked my head like a child, "sorry."

"She does, Edward. She loves you more than you'll ever know. Do you know how I know this?" She leaned in, taking my hand.

"No," I said, whispering.

"Because I see it in her eyes, every time she talks about you thinks or about you, sees you. Your eyes do the same thing. She's emotional right now though. Bella's scared and it doesn't always make her brain work the right way. Like when she punched that woman. And, she's worried about making things scarier as well. That's why she didn't tell you right away."

"But, she should know that she can tell me anything!"

My mother placed both hands in front of her in a halting motion, stopping me before I could begin to rant. "She does know, but she's, you're both, not thinking clearly right now, honey. You're both so... _tired_. It's hard to be a newlywed couple. While still in college and pregnant with twins? I can't imagine. I suggest you take a break and just sit down to talk. Talk about how you feel and what you both need right now. It would be therapeutic for both of you. When is your spring break?"

"Two weeks," I said with a sigh. It couldn't come fast enough in my opinion. A week with no school sounded like heaven.

"I suggest you two do nothing during that week but have a relaxing good time. Take turns doing things you both want." She patted my hand.

"Am I being stupid for reacting the way I did?" I asked her, hoping for full honesty. I couldn't be babied anymore. I just couldn't stand it. I was no longer blind and I didn't want to be treated as such.

My mother sighed, picking up her coffee and taking a sip before she licked her lips. "No, not stupid. You were always a bit dramatic as a child, but I can understand your feelings. You're also young which adds to the drama of it all. But, you need to go home and work it out with her now. She needs to know that you aren't that mad and you both need to talk about how you feel. And you should apologize for leaving."

"I just needed time to think," I defended myself.

"I understand that, but it doesn't make it right. I wouldn't suggest doing it again. It's not the best thing for a fight. If you need to gather your thoughts, go to another room but don't leave her, especially now that she's pregnant." She patted my hand again and gave me a weak smile before standing up. "I'll see you in the morning before the flight?"

"Of course." I nodded, not getting up yet.

She leaned down and kissed the top of my head lightly. "Goodnight, son. I love you."

"I love you, too," I whispered quietly, taking a sip of my now cooled tea.

 _ **Bella**_

I sat on the porch in the front after Edward, just sitting on the steps. I knew he wouldn't like me out there like that at night, but I couldn't really care less. I couldn't really think of anything to do or say, so I simply leaned against the post of the stairs, staring off into the night.

I was sure it was late when I saw his Volvo pull in. It had been a couple of hours at the least since he left, so it was most likely after midnight. I wasn't mad that he left really, just sad. So... _sad_. I hated the fact that he was disappointed in me, but I could understand it. I suppose I would be disappointed as well. There was just so much to take in, too much to think about that I was now just numb.

"Bella," Edward breathed my name as he sat down beside me. "Honey, it's cold out here. What are you doing?"

I shook my head, not wanting to speak right then. I was afraid to break the calm that was within me. I knew once I did I would cry and I was just so sick of crying. I was wondering when it would end. I felt like a dam that was constantly about to break.

He sighed, nodding his head slowly. "I'm sorry about the way I reacted. It was wrong."

I shook my head again, biting my top lip before looking down at my hands. "No, you have to do what you have to do."

"I didn't have to do that though," he replied. I didn't say anything, not speaking for a long time. Finally, Edward sighed, breaking the barrier between us. "Say something."

"What am I supposed to say, Edward? I'm sorry. I'm sorry I disappointed you. I'm sorry I can't give you the things you want. I'm sorry that-"

"Disappointed in you? No, I'm not. I'm disappointed that you couldn't tell me your feelings but never at you. And you're what I want in life. Kids... kids don't matter. If I have you, I have everything I need." He turned, taking my face in between his long fingers before stroking my temples with his thumb. "You are everything I'll ever need, Isabella."

"Edward," I whimpered out his name but he shook his head, kissing me firmly on the lips. I placed my hands on his wrists, holding his skin to mine. Moaning into his kiss, I melted into him.

Finally, he pulled away, placing his forehead against mine. "We'll talk about this later. But for now, let's get you inside."

I nodded my head, allowing him to pick me up in his strong arms. I wrapped my own around his neck, simply wishing to be as close to him as possible. I just needed to be held at that moment and he did, for the rest of the night.

 **Edward still has some insecurities and anxieties from before. But, so does Bella. Man, everything seems like the end of the world when you're nineteen.**

 **But, hey at least they were honest with one another.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	31. Chapter 31

_**Edward**_

I sighed as I came into the house. I hated that I missed yet another appointment of Bella's because of school. They were now weekly and she insisted that I didn't have to go, but I wanted to. I wanted to check for myself that she was okay. I wanted to be able to ask the doctor questions since Bella had hidden the books somewhere after our little tiff.

We did talk about the things we needed. It was a long night, the night after my mother left. There was a lot of crying and honestly, not all of the crying was done by Bella. Her tears made me ache inside and it was simply too much. We also skipped that following Monday, simply taking a day to ourselves. We didn't even open a book.

Bella couldn't do that again if she was going to finish school up the way she wanted to at the end of the school year. She was working her ass off and I tried to help as much as I could, but I felt useless. She even took some of her school work to doctor's appointments and worked on them as she waited.

We were in the home stretch, just over twenty-four weeks. Bella had around ten to twelve weeks left and I was grateful for that. I wasn't sure how much more I could take. I was actually glad that twins came a little earlier. I was not sure what I would do if I had an almost full four more months of this to go.

It was just around seven on Friday night. I was so happy that it was the weekend and even happier that it was the beginning of our lazy spring break. We needed it.

I smiled as I wandered into the bedroom. Bella was laying there in nothing but that silly LSU shirt that she adored and nothing else but a pair of plain white panties. She was engrossed in her laptop, clicking away quickly. She had such a look of concentration on her face. Bella nibbled on her lip, not even realizing that I had come home.

After chunking my keys and wallet onto the dresser, I crawled onto the end of the bed towards her until I reached her foot. I began to lightly kiss upwards, savoring her skin.

"Mm, Edward... What are you doing?" She said with a soft sigh, closing the computer and placing it to the side.

"Worshiping my sexy wife," I said against the inside of her knee before kissing and licking the inside crease.

Though her legs fell open, giving me a beautiful sight of her fabric covered arousal, her words were a totally different story. "Stop, I don't feel sexy at all."

I switched my attention to the opposite leg's ankle. "Why don't you feel sexy? I think you are. Extremely so."

Massaging the bottom of her foot while I kissed the top, rubbing it slowly and sensually. "But, I haven't shaved in like three weeks because I can't bend over and I can't cut my toenails. Seriously, stop. I'm so not sexy right now," she complained.

I sighed myself, laying my head on the bed for a minute while I gathered my thoughts. Looking up at her slowly, I grinned. Then I grabbed both of her ankles as I tugged her towards the end of the bed.

"You know what? I can do something about that."

 _ **Bella**_

I could not believe what Edward was doing. He filled up the bathtub and undressed me before putting me inside carefully. When I asked him to join, he refused and said he had other plans. Instead, he removed his shirt, along with his shoes and socks then started going around the bathroom looking for other objects. It took me a moment until I realized what he was doing. He was going to shave my legs.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked nervously, watching him squirt the cream into the palm of his hand.

Rubbing his hands together he nodded with a smile. "Yes. I know how to shave, Bella. I do shave my face every day. I've even done it with my eyes closed," I joked. She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but this is a much... _larger_... surface."

"Hush and put your foot on my chest. I can do this," he said confidently.

I sighed, placing my foot on the dead center of his chest and sinking back into the water slightly. "You know, that stuff isn't exactly for your legs." I pointed at the bottle of shave lotion.

"But, the bottle said it could be used on your legs," Edward said with a roll of his eyes as he began to smooth the fruity smelling stuff on.

"Did you read the rest of the thing?"

Smirking, he picked up the bottle and brought it closer to his eyes. I had to hold in my laughter as he began to read out loud. "Rash free shave cream that is specifically designed to protect skin along with providing a smooth and moisturizing shave for any part of your body." He gave me a pointed look.

"Keep reading," I smiled.

"Great for legs, underarms, and the best for your-" he stopped mid-sentence, blushing a soft shade of red.

"How high do you plan on shaving, Mr. Cullen?" I teased with a giggle, wiggling my eyebrows at him playfully.

He bit his lip, his color going redder as his eyes trailed down my leg to the area in which this cream was best suited for. "As much as I'd love to see you all bare, I'm worried about... you know, nicking you. If I nick your leg, it bleeds a little and I can kiss it and put a band-aid on. If I nick there..." Edward trailed off.

"Why don't we save that until after the kids are here?" I asked gently. He gave me a grateful smile and nodded his head.

Slowly, like I had taken his confidence away, he picked up the razor and took off the protective covering over the head before setting it to the side. Bringing his hand to my heel, he brought my leg up and kissed the very top of my foot as he had done earlier. With his eyes locked on mine, he took one steady long drag down my calf.

It was amazing how good it felt.

"Oh," I moaned softly and sank into the bath water.

"Do you like that?" He asked in a husky voice. I nodded my head quickly and bit my lip. He took another drag, his eyes still on mine. I couldn't help but smile at him.

With each stroke I became more and more relaxed, my head falling back against the lip of the tub with my eyes closed. When he finished my calf, he smoothed water over my skin and washed away the extra lotion. Scooting a little closer, he put more lotion in his hand. Resting my calf across his jean covered thighs he began to rub it on my thigh. I felt every muscle in my leg tighten, my toes pointing in pleasure.

"I didn't realize this was going to be so... erotic," I said breathlessly, wishing I could do something more about the position we were in. I was extremely tempted to touch myself while he continued to pamper me. I had never felt so loved. And by the look in his eyes, he felt it too. The lust was swirling in them, every stroke bringing him closer to my center.

"Neither did I."

 _ **Edward**_

It wasn't the action, it was Bella's reaction to it. It was beyond sexy to see her this way. Warm, wet, and relaxed with her head leaning back against the tub making her neck seem even longer. Which led down to her now very large and beautiful breasts that were just half covered by the water. I could just make out the curve of her belly under the water. Her long sensuousness legs stretched out across my lap, Bella's toes pointing in pleasure as I continued to use the most delicate care to shave the skin I adored so much.

When we were done, I helped her from the tub and wrapped her up in a large fluffy towel after patting her dry. Pulling the moist hair from her shoulder I leaned in and kissed the gentle slope of her neck.

"Go lay on the bed. I'll be there in a minute," I whispered softly.

She looked at me confused but did as I asked without a word. I worked quickly, trying to figure out exactly what I needed to do all of the things I wanted to. I had never done this for another person so it would prove to be interesting at least. It wasn't as worrisome as the shaving at least, though there was more room for me to make a fool of myself. Hopefully, she would enjoy the attention.

"What are you doing?" Bella asked quietly in the lamp-lit room. She was lounging back on the bed, still wrapped in the towel.

"I'm making you feel as beautiful as you are, _hopefully_ ," I said with a grin as I rested all the things I had brought with me on the bed. "Give me a foot."

Bella rolled her eyes but didn't argue thankfully, placing her foot on my lap as she had done earlier. I massaged my hand up her calf, glad that I had brought lotion as well. I picked up a pair of metal clippers and brought them towards Bella's toes but I stopped when she began to laugh.

"Edward?"

"What? You can't see them, but I can. I figured I can at least help out. You should have come to me before if you were having problems," I said chidingly as I began to work on her toenails.

"I was going to get Alice to take me to get a pedicure next week," Bella said with a faint blush across her cheeks.

"Even though you hate that kind of stuff? You'd rather put up with that than ask me?"

"To clip my gnarly toenails? Yes," she said bluntly.

I laughed, I couldn't help it. It was adorable the way she said that. She gave me an angry look and I stopped, looking down at my lap as I did so, continuing my work. "They're not gnarly. Long, yes. But not claws. Trust me, I really don't mind. Now, give me your other foot."

She did so, stretching her arms above her head. "Yes, but there are certain things..."

"Bella, you should know that I will do anything in this world to make you happy."

 _ **Bella**_

Well, that effectively shut me up. I bit my lip, feeling the blood rush quickly to my cheeks. I was embarrassed to have him do this for me even though I enjoyed the attention he was giving me. I couldn't say anything to that, and I should have, but I wasn't sure what. After he was done with my other foot he picked something up that surprised me. I opened my mouth to say something but stopped when he gave me an almost forceful look.

Edward shook the bottle of paint in between his long fingers, carefully extracting the brush from the pink nail polish bottle.

"If your entire foot ends up this color, I'm sorry," he said with a crooked grin, making me feel like I was melting inside.

With the greatest of concentration and the tiny of movements, Edward began to paint every single one of my toenails the exact color that was on my hands. He was getting so much better at telling different colors apart now, even if they were extremely similar. When he was done with the nails on that one foot he brought it upwards and blew on them gently to help them dry. The breath went straight in between my legs, electric jolts flowing up thighs.

He did the same with the other foot, the tip of his tongue stuck between his lips as he worked oh so carefully to do this for me. Once again he brought my foot up, this time meeting my eyes as he blew gently.

"God," I whimpered, watching him intently.

"What, love?" Edward asked as he gently dropped my foot and picked up a bottle of lotion. Squeezing the liquid on to his palm he began to massage them between his beautiful long fingers. He brought my foot up and settled it onto his chest and I could feel the constant thump of his heart against my foot.

"That just," I paused, gasping as he began to massage my leg. He gave me a questioning looking, obvious that he wanted me to continue. "That just feels so good, Edward."

"Good," he replied as he switched to the other leg.

 _ **Edward**_

With every movement of my hands, the towel that was once wrapped around Bella's body began to slip. With her arms still resting above her head and her eyes closed, it was obvious that she didn't care. A soft mew left her lips as I began to rub the inside of her thigh, taking care not to touch her evident arousal. Just seeing her glistening and pink in that way made me so turned on, it was a fight to keep myself in control, but I had to. I wanted to make this perfect for her.

I pulled the towel away from her body and threw it onto the floor for later. She didn't even bother to open her eyes. Her ample breasts were heaving, her nipples hard and standing at a perfect point. Her beautiful brown hair was beginning to dry now into pretty little ringlets around her head which fanned out against the pillow. Her thighs were opened to me, one leg onto the bed while the other was bent at the knee and relaxing to the side. The bump that was her belly was somehow... _perfect_. She was carrying my children and it made her even sexier to me.

"I've never seen you look more beautiful than you do at this moment," I whispered. Bella's eyes fluttered open after the words left my mouth.

"I don't know how you can say that, Edward."

"Because, love, everything about you is just... I just..." I struggled with the words, trying to find exactly what to say to explain it to her. "There just isn't anything in this world that I want more than you. There isn't any woman that could compare to you, in my eyes, right now. If could capture this moment and keep it forever, I would. I could stare at you all night and be happy."

I saw the tale tell blush on her cheeks, the embarrassment running down the side of her neck and all the way to her breasts. I could have groaned at the sight. She licked her lips, closing her eyes again as a sassy smile came over her features. "Take a picture, it'll last longer."

I grinned at the idea. "Can I? Can I take your picture, Bella?"

 _ **Bella**_

 _Damn_ , I thought to myself. I really walked into that one, didn't I? I felt my entire body flush as my eyes snapped open to look at my dear sweet husband.

"You can't be serious."

"Bella, you've never looked more beautiful than you do right now. I want to remember you like this for forever. Please?" He asked, his beautiful lips slightly pursed out in a pout.

"What if someone sees them? I don't want nude photos like this running around," I argued with him, sitting up on my elbows to get a better look at my insane lover.

"Who would see them?"

"I don't know! One of our idiot friends. Our family. Our _kids_!" I shot back quickly.

"I won't show a soul if you don't." He grinned cheekily at me, his charm coming out fully now. Edward adjusted his glasses, sliding them up his nose before zeroing in on my body. His gaze went from the tip of my toes to the top of my head. I had never felt more exposed.

"But, I'm a-" I began but he quickly cut off my argument.

"Don't you dare say cow, Mrs. Cullen. You certainly are not. I wouldn't want to remember this again if you did."

"I don't want to be nude on film!" I finally said, pouting out my lips.

Edward stood up without another word and went to our linens closet. He searched for a moment before he found what he wanted. A crisp white sheet. Leaning down he began to kiss my neck in such a way that made speech impossible. I felt my eyes roll back into my head as his mouth continued it's exploration, draping the sheet over certain parts of my body as he did. Twisting and turning the cloth around me, he covered my breasts and other important areas. "You won't be nude now."

"Almost," I whispered, too turned on by his kisses to think or speak much more than that.

"I will make it worth your while." He wiggled his eyebrows at me, the glint in his eyes turning naughtier and naughtier by the moment.

"And how is that possible?"

He took my hand and placed it on his fully erect denim covered length, leaning in close to me so that his lips were almost touching my ear. "This is how much you affect me right now, Bella. And just the idea of taking pictures of you like this is-" He let out a soft moan, hot breath flowing over my ear again before he spoke. "Let me have this. Let me see you. Let me photograph the most beautiful woman in my world. And I promise you, every time I'll think back to this night I will instantly..." he rubbed my hand against his arousal once more, letting me feel the full extent of it, "have the very same reaction."

 _ **Edward**_

I could tell by the look on her face that I had won. She sighed heavily, flopping back on the bed almost dramatically.

"Fine, go get the damn camera," Bella muttered then lowered her voice, "you bastard."

"If they're horrible, I'll delete them," I promised her with a big grin.

"Go get the camera before I change my mind," she said with a half smile.

I ran to the bedside dresser like an eager schoolboy and pulled out the camera. I turned it on, fiddling with the controls to get it to the setting I wanted. I slipped it over to black and white, wanting to see if the picture in my mind would come to life.

She stretched out on the bed, her eyes closed tightly. The sheet was wrapped around her right leg, twisted around her breasts. I bit my lip, way too excited to be doing this. I was honestly shocked she had agreed. I wasn't going to say that though. I came to the end of the bed, clicking away with every step. She never opened her eyes, but her eyelashes fluttered with the flashes. I pulled back, watching the pictures coming onto the screen. It seemed like every single one was better than the last.

The edges were dark, her body illuminated by the flash. Her lips pursed before she bit her lip, her fingers curling around the pillowcase.

"Perfect," I said to myself.

"Out of your damn mind," she said back with a smile, her eyes still not opening.

I moved my hand over her thigh, opening her legs slightly. She pulled up her knee prettily, moving it over the other. I took another picture.

"That may be so but that changes nothing," I teased back. "Sit up," I asked.

She sighed, pushing herself up with one hand while the other held onto the sheet over her breasts. I clicked the camera again, making her sigh again in embarrassment.

"You will never get a chance like this again," she said in a warning tone.

"I doubt that," I grinned wickedly. "I'll just work my magic."

"You think just because you're good with your mouth you'll get your way all the time?" Bella asked with a raised eyebrow, smirking at me slightly. I knew she was just screwing with me and it was just nice to have a good time. We weren't thinking about anything in particular. No school, no appointments. Just us, together.

"I bet I can."

"Ah huh," Bella said, flopping back onto the bed again.

 _ **Bella**_

"Is that a challenge, Mrs. Cullen?" He said in a husky voice that sent wild shivers down my spine. I tried to close my eyes tightly as I bit my lip, so I didn't have to look at his beautiful body. His firm abs and far harder erection that was there simply because of me. If I did I would give in far too easily.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said, touching my fingers to the headboard and trying to act like I wasn't completely turned on and flustered to no end.

I heard the camera being set down on the table after he walked around to the side of the bed close to me. Suddenly I smelt his sweet breath in my nose. He placed a light kiss on my jaw, moving his lips to my ear.

"I think it is."

Before I could respond I felt his mouth wildly attack my neck. I think it had the opposite effect though because instead of moaning and groaning, I was laughing and wiggling. "EDWARD!" I shouted. I felt him laugh against my neck, moving on the bed and over my body. "Oh! Ow!"

"What's wrong?" He pulled back instantly, a wide look of panic in his eyes.

With more force than I thought was possible, I pushed him onto his back and crawled on top of him before straddling his waist. "You were squishing me. Trust me, nothing is sexy while you have babies pressing on your bladder."

"I'm sorry," he laughed. Edward moved his hands up to the sheet and moved it away, exposing my breasts to his eyes. They roamed my body again and I felt completely exposed once more. I covered my chest with crossed arms, feeling a flush cover my cheeks as I moved my hair over my face like a curtain. "Stay that way, love. Please. Just for a minute. One picture."

I blushed, nodding my head slowly. Just the tone of his voice when he said that was... _so_ sexy. It made my heartbeat race and my stomach clench in ways that were completely unfair. I had no control of myself when I was around him. I heard the soft click of the camera before it was set down again.

"Thank you, love." His hands moved over my hips, gripping them tightly. "Thank you so much."

I gave him a soft smile before I leaned down as best I could, kissing his lips lightly. He smiled against them, bringing his wonderful hands to my hair and holding me into place. With each second the kiss became more intense, more filled with desire. His mouth became demanding on mine, his jean-clad length rubbing against my bare center. I felt like I was on fire.

"Please, Edward. I need you," I whimpered quietly.

He shifted me down slightly, moving to unbutton his jeans quickly. I worked with him, pulling down the zipper. When we were done with that I moved his hands away, pulling him out of his boxers with my hand wrapped around him tightly. Through clenched teeth he hissed in pleasure, his hands falling uselessly to his sides.

"Bella," he sighed my name.

I didn't bother to remove his jeans. There was time enough for that later. Instead, I simply crawled on top of him and pressed him deep inside of me. A loud groan left his lips, his hands going back to my hips.

The movements were slow but firm, our bodies always connected. I heard nothing as I tilted my head back and simply felt. I felt so complete this way. He was my missing piece. Edward was everything I needed to feel whole.

I was sure the bed creaked, we moaned, and I was sure that there was the sound of skin against skin. But I could only hear my heartbeat as stars began to pop in front of my eyes. I brought my hands to his wrists, holding them to my waist. I needed him to keep me up because I wasn't sure if I had the strength to at the moment. I was too lost in the feeling, too far into heaven to even concentrate on it.

"Bella," I heard Edward groan as I flew down gently from my high, a warmth filling me in every way. "I love you."

 _ **Edward**_

Bella gently rolled off of me, laying flat on her back. I moved to my side, dragging my fingers over the bottom of her very curved stomach. I was in bliss, my head resting against her shoulder.

"I love you," I whispered again, kissing her skin lightly.

She turned her head to the side, giving me a slight smile. "I love you too, but if those photos are seen by any of our friends I will kick you. Hard. In the shins, because that's how high I can raise my legs right now."

I laughed, throwing my head back against the pillow. "I promise they won't. One's a doofus and the other respects you too much to look at even semi-nude photos."

"Which is which?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

I scrunched up my face, pretending to think for a moment. "You know, I'm not sure."

She laughed, playfully smacking my shoulder. "I'm going to tell them you said that."

"Go ahead. Then you can tell them how the conversation came up," I said in a playful warning.

Bella pouted, curling into me. "Fine, fine. You better be good."

I wrapped my arms around her tightly, burying my face in her hair. "I will be, I promise."

 _ **Bella**_

"I can't believe you went to a spa without me!" Alice complained the next day as she sat down for lunch. No hi or hello, just that greeting. Rose, who was looking at her menu, looked up with a confused expression.

"Well, hello to you too, princess," I muttered sarcastically, going back to deciding whether or not I wanted fajitas or a big plate of nachos. Either one was going to hate my stomach in the end, but I didn't care. I was in the mood for Mexican.

"I try to get you to go all the time but you tell me no," she said in a huff.

I rolled my eyes, throwing my menu down. "I didn't go to the spa."

"But," she pointed down to my sandal-clad feet, "your toes are really cute."

"So?" Rose asked this time she rolled her eyes. "Bella, did you go to the spa without us?"

"Nope," I said with a pop.

"Then how?" She demanded. Rose shook her head and picked up her menu, bringing it over her eyes. "Girl, I know you can't bend over."

"Edward did for to me," I said, copying Rose and trying to throw off Alice. Somehow I knew that wouldn't be enough. Of course, it wasn't. It never would be.

"Edward did?" She asked in confusion. "Why? Did you ask him to?"

"No," I shook my head after taking a sip of my water. "He just did it. Shaved my legs for me, too."

"Aw, that's sweet. I wouldn't trust Em with a razor," Rose laughed, folding up her menu and crossing her arms on top of it. "You know, that boy needs to give lessons. _'Edward Cullen's guide to being the man',_ " she teased. "'Chapter one- Have a six-pack. Chapter two- Be sweeter than any man has a right to be. Chapter three-"

"Yes, I get the picture," I laughed. "It was," I gave a small smile at the memory before continuing, "it was more romantic than I thought it could be. He wasn't even trying. He just wanted to make me feel special. And afterward, with the way that he was looking at me, and those pictures, and the sex..."

"Pictures?" Both girls said at the same time. I hadn't even realized that the words had left my mouth until they did.

"Dammit," I muttered to myself, feeling the blood creep up my cheeks.

"What kind of pictures, Bella?" Rose said in a knowing voice. "I didn't realize Edward was that kind of freak."

I laughed, covering my face with my hands. "It wasn't like that, at all. I wasn't completely nude. I just-"

"Completely nude?" Alice said shocked.

"I wasn't!" I said in a firm tone. "I just had a sheet over all of my... naughty bits. He just talked me into it. He kept saying how beautiful I was and how he wanted to _remember this moment for the rest of his life_. And it was hard to not see how aroused he was by the whole thing," I admitted in a quiet voice, biting my bottom lip.

Rose looked between me and Alice, a small smile on her face. "He really should write a book."

Alice giggled with a bright smile on her face, "yup. If he did Jasper and Emmett would be in line just for the chapter on how to get your wife to take dirty pictures."

I swatted her with my menu, laughing quietly. I had to admit, it was a little funny even though I didn't want it to be. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Edward."

"And, what's that?" Rose said with a challenge in her voice.

"Tell either one of them and I'll kick you in the shins."

 **So, the baby I was pregnant with and gave birth to in the middle of writing and posting this story originally turned 10 today. I had so many fanfic friends worried that my husband made a post for me lol. I hand wrote many parts of this story at doctor's appointments. I basically produced my clone with more confidence and no filter and it's a problem. You'd love her. Today would be one of my** _ **pieces of time**_ **.**

 **Reviews are motivation.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	32. Chapter 32

_**Edward**_

"Come on, peoples! Let's get this party started!" I heard Emmett shout as the front door busted open, slamming loudly against the wall of the foyer. I rolled my eyes, unable to stop myself from doing so. He was just so stupid sometimes. Funny, yet still stupid. He was just a big kid at heart. I was wondering how Rosalie handled it at times.

"Honey, relax. It's just a barbecue," Rose said. I turned just in time to see her pat his arm like he was an overexcited child and walk past him. "Kitchen?" She pointed towards the doorway, obviously asking where Bella was. I nodded my head and she gave me a sassy little smile that confused me a little. "Thank you, Edward."

The way she said my name left me completely awkward.

"What's up with your girlfriend?" I asked, eying the huge bag of charcoal he had on his shoulder. There must have been fifty pounds of the stuff. How many people did he think he was cooking for? I sighed, motioning for him to follow me out to the backyard.

"If I ever figured out that answer, I'd be surprised. Where do you want this?" He hefted the stuff down into his arms, acting as if he didn't even weight two pounds. Em looked as if he could have stood there all day. I wondered briefly if he knew actually how strong he was. He outshined me in that department, that was for sure.

"Back porch. We've got the grill all set up if you want to go ahead and start the fire. We've got almost all the meat ready," I instructed, going to sit down at the island in the middle of the kitchen with the girls. Bella gave me a wary look, a small frown falling from her lips as Rosalie gave me the biggest smile I had ever seen with an evil twinkle in her eyes. "What?" I asked, looking between them.

"Nothing," Bella said quickly, all while giving her friend a wicked glare. If she had given me that look I would have withered in place. Rosalie didn't even seem to notice, her smile still in place. "Nothing," she repeated firmly.

"Yup, nothing at all." Rosalie wiggled her eyebrows with a giggle. I was about to repeat my question to her but the doorbell rang.

"Well, at least someone has manners," I mumbled to myself as I went towards the front door. I opened it and smiled at who I saw. At least these two were a bit more rational than Emmett and Rosalie, at least most of the time anyway. "Hey, come on in guys."

Jasper had a huge blue cooler in his arms, his hands straining to hold it up. Alice was only carrying a bag of chips, cradling the grocery bag against her chest.

"Where the hell do you want this?" Jasper asked through gritted teeth. The muscles in his arms were literally shaking.

"Anywhere is fine." I moved quickly out of his way. I didn't want that thing to land on me if he dropped it. "What the hell did you bring?"

He sent a pointed glare back towards his wife. "I have no idea. Ask her. I just do the _heavy_ lifting."

She gave him a sweet little grin before turning her eyes towards me. I suddenly felt flushed from her glare. That look was almost the same as Rosalie's.

"Hello, _Edward_. Where's Bella?"

"In the kitchen, cutting up some vegetables," I muttered. Alice whispered thank you before moving past me, patting my shoulder. "These women have something wrong with them," I mumbled when I was sure she was out of hearing range. Even though she was small she packed a wicked punch. I didn't want to be on the receiving end of that.

"You just now figured that out?" He asked, kicking the cooler after setting it down.

I shook my head to his question. "They're up to something, I think."

"Again, you just figured that out? They're always up to something," Jasper said sarcastically, kicking the cooler once more. "I'll move it into the kitchen in a minute. That thing is damn heavy. Her shopping habits apparently do not exclude food." He bent down and opened the cooler, pulling out a beer. Popping it open quickly, he took a huge swig and panted afterward. I couldn't help but wonder if I would need one of those things to get through the day with the girls acting this way.

 _ **Bella**_

"Both of you need to stop!" I hissed to my giggling friends. They were having way too much fun torturing Edward and me. "I told him not to tell and if you don't stop he's going to figure out that I did. I can't believe I let that slip..." I muttered the last part to myself, completely annoyed.

"Oh, we're just having a bit of fun. He looks so confused," Alice giggled, grabbing a carrot from the chopping board. If she wasn't careful I was going to start to aim for those manicured fingers. She didn't need all five of them to shop. Only missing one wouldn't hurt too much.

"Because he doesn't know! Seriously, stop," I groaned.

"Oh!" Rosalie said all of a sudden like she remembered something. It actually made me jump. "I want to see the pictures!"

"Hell no!" I almost shouted.

"Everything okay, love?" Edward asked concerned as he came back into the room with Jasper following. Jasper didn't even bother stopping as he went through the back door with the way too heavy cooler in his arms.

Both girls pushed their lips together, trying to hold in the giggles that were caught in their throats. I was about five seconds from pushing both of them off of the stools.

"Yes, fine." I gave him the best smile I could. He narrowed his eyes on me before looking between my friends. He sighed, shaking his head before coming over to give me a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"If you need me to protect you, let me know," he whispered loudly in my ear before giving my two friends a pointed look. "I'm watching you."

The girls let out their giggles, smiling brilliantly at his backside as he left to go outside with the other guys. I sighed again, feeling like this was completely pointless.

"No, you won't get to see the pictures and you better stop it!" I threatened.

 **Edward**

Jasper had brought the cooler outside, it filled with all kinds of drinks and side dishes for the dinner. After Alice came to put those in the fridge, we were left alone thankfully. She winked at me as she left, so visible that even Jasper noticed this time.

"What the hell?" Emmett asked our friend, trying to keep in a laugh. "Have you been macking on our women, Ed?"

"Shut up," I muttered at his use of my nickname. "No. I have no idea what's going on. I'm going to have to ask Bella. She knows something and she's not happy about it," I explained, sitting down on the swing with a bottle of soda. I took a long sip, letting the cola burn my throat slightly. "They're just screwing with me, I just know it."

"Knowing them, probably," Jasper laughed. "Want us to try to find out something? Give you some kind of warning?"

"Yes, please," I almost pleaded. "I have a feeling one of those girls are going to lose a finger if they don't leave Bella alone. She's not as friendly as she used to be. Did you see the look in her eyes when she was holding that knife? Scary."

"Alright. Well, just watch the fire. When the flame goes down enough just put the grate on, okay?" Emmett pointed to the grill, explaining what I needed to do. I nodded slowly, looking at the daunting flames that towered over the black metal bowl. "Don't worry, you won't hurt yourself."

I almost snorted. "Okay, if you say so."

"You'll be fine. Don't worry. It's not as hard as you think it's going to be. We'll be back in a second." Jasper smiled at me reassuringly, taking a swig of his beer. "Emmett, you're not allowed to talk," he said as they moved towards the door.

"Why not?" He complained loudly, almost stomping his foot like a child.

"Because then Bella will stab you with a knife and I'll be the one driving you to the E.R. And you know what? That's the last thing I want to do today, even if it would be funny and you'd probably have it coming."

"Come on, I'm not that bad."

"Yes, you are." Jasper and I said at the same time. Emmett turned an angry glare at me, throwing his head back dramatically as he went into the kitchen. Jasper shook his head and sighed, running a rough hand over the back of his neck.

 _ **Bella**_

"Alright ladies, spill it," Emmett said as soon as the door closed behind Jasper. My blond friend rolled his eyes, sighing heavily.

"Smooth, man. Very smooth," Jasper muttered.

"I'm going for a direct approach," he defended himself before turning back towards us. "What's going on?"

"Well," Rosalie began, almost already laughing. I growled loudly, cutting off anything she was going to say as the butcher knife slammed down loudly onto the board. "I can't tell you. Sorry," she finished quickly.

"Oh, this has to be good," Jasper laughed, coming to stand beside me. "You want to kill them, don't you darlin?"

"Yes. Yes, I do." I glared at the three of them. Only Jasper was on my side.

"Well, you're worrying Edward so why don't you give me that knife and I'll finish that up. You go sit down, okay?" He said sweetly. Alice gave him a curious look but said nothing. I wasn't going to argue with him.

"Thanks. That would be great."

I sat down at the breakfast table, propping my feet up on the other chair. They were already swollen and they hurt a little. It was only just past eleven so I knew that day wasn't going to be a good day for me. I was really starting to worry about being put onto bed rest because of the swelling, even though the doctor tried to reassure me otherwise. She said I was healthy so far and doing fine.

Watching Jasper as he began to cut, I bit my lip. "So, I'm really worrying Edward?"

"Just a tad," Emmett laughed. "You scare me, so I can understand."

I rolled my eyes but gave him a slight smile. "He has nothing to worry about because these two," I waved my finger between my two female friends, "are going to stop. Aren't you?"

"Fine," Alice sighed, pouting a little bit.

"Yeah, yeah..." Rosalie agreed begrudgingly. "Ruin all our fun, why don't ya?"

I began to open my mouth to say something but I stopped suddenly when I heard a loud crash and a hair raising male scream from the backyard. I instantly popped up and ran towards the door, but I was beaten by my friends though. It took me a moment to push past my girlfriends who were stopped dead in the doorway, their mouths opened in shock and surprise. I actually shoved Alice because she wasn't moving. I would have felt bad about that normally but right then was not the time to feel bad.

On the ground was the grill grate along with Edward who had Emmett and Jasper on either side of him. Tears were streaming down from his deep green eyes, his face twisted up in pain. He was holding up in front of him his hand, which was a bright red and at spots black or white.

"Son of a bitch, it hurts," he whimpered, holding his wrist to his chest as our friends tried to stand him up.

"Oh, god!"

 _ **Bella**_

"Come on. Let's get you up," Emmett said, placing his arms underneath Edward's. He scrambled up to his feet, kicking his legs while trying to get some sort of traction and I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was dizzy. He honestly looked a little green. Edward stumbled a bit, falling a bit towards the still hot coals.

"Sit down!" I almost shouted. "Take him over to the swing. Someone call an ambulance."

Emmett nearly dragged him over to the swing, plopping him down heavily. I don't even think Edward realized what Emmett was doing until it was done. I rushed to his side, trying to get a look at his hand. He pulled away though.

"No. No ambulance," he said softly, his eyes examining his hand. He must have been out of his mind. "No hospital."

"We need to get you to the hospital," Jasper said almost darkly. He was not going to be argued with. I was very grateful to him at that moment. He turned his attention to the two gawking women in the doorway. "Go get the hose and make sure the coals are completely put out. We don't want to start a fire."

"Fine, just give me a minute. Please?" Edward pleaded before his eyes shut, his head leaning back against the top of the bench. "Fuck, it hurts."

Alice was the first to respond, moving towards the side of the house where a hose was curled up. She quickly flicked the water on, trying to find the end of the hose afterward. When Jasper realized that Rosalie was simply staring at Edward's hand he sighed heavily.

"Rose, go make sure everything is turned off in the kitchen."

She nodded numbly, turning to go into the house. You could tell she wasn't good with injuries. She almost looked as if she was about to get sick herself. Emmett decided to speak up this time. "Come on, let's get you to the hospital, man. It's not going to get any better. I'll drive."

Finally, Edward nodded, agreeing with them with his eyes closed. The pain was really getting to him. The guys helped him to stand, leading them towards the house. I rushed around, gathering the things I thought he would need. Keys, wallet, and some shoes. I slipped on my own pair, trying to follow them out the door.

"Where are you going?" Edward asked hoarsely as Emmett helped him down a couple of stairs. I could tell he was trying not to cry, his eyes blurred with moisture. I couldn't imagine how badly he must have hurt right then. What in the world was he trying to do? Edward had no experience with the grill.

"I'm going to the hospital with you, of course," I stated in a matter of fact voice.

"No," he nearly whined, moving closer to the doors of Emmett's jeep. Emmett handed him off to Jasper, going to driver's side.

"And why the hell not?" I said, placing my fists on my hips as Jasper opened the door. When he finally realized that we were having a small argument he stopped moving, looking between us.

"You could get sick."

I scoffed at his reasoning as did Jasper. I moved past him, climbing into the passenger's seat. Jasper grinned for some reason, all but pushing Edward into the car. He stood back when we were done.

"I'm going to stay here and get everything cleaned up. Call us if you need anything, okay?" He offered.

"Thanks," I gave him a sad little smile through the opened window before we pulled away.

 _ **Edward**_

"You never listen to me," I whimpered, leaning against Bella. All I could feel was the intense throbbing in my hand, pain flowing through my entire arm. I was trying to distract myself from it, but it wasn't working in the least. I was going to lose it soon.

"Sometimes that is a good thing," she whispered to me, stroking my hair reassuringly. "Here, let me look."

I brought my hand slowly over, the simple movement making the pain double. I hissed loudly through my teeth, closing my eyes once again. Looking at it made it worse. It actually made me sick to my stomach.

The skin was completely charred, parts of seeming to melt away. My palm was black with little patches of raised up white, a bunch of pink and red too. There wasn't as much blood as I thought there would be. I guess you didn't really bleed with a burn through. I wasn't sure. I was having trouble thinking anyway.

"We should have called an ambulance," Bella mumbled to herself, looking over my entire hand. It was mainly my palm and my wrist that were burned, along with some of the top. My fingers, with the exception of my thumb, seemed to be fine. Well, that was at least something.

Then I realized something. What if I did real damage to my hand? What if this was not fixable? Would I be able to play the piano again? Fear started to go through me. I leaned into Bella, trying to find some comfort. Would this affect our children as well?

All I was trying to do was put the stupid grate on. A flame licked upwards, surprising me. I dropped the grate into the fire, making coals go everywhere. Stumbling back in surprise, I kicked the grill and my hand pressed against the very hot side. I tumbled backward, screaming in pain and surprise. The coals and the metal had gotten me and I was pretty sure I left part of myself on that grill.

I would never grill again. That was for sure.

 _ **Bella**_

It didn't take us very long to be seen, at all. The nurse actually blanched when she saw his hand, rushing him inside. I followed behind, waddling. The doctor came soon after, looking at his injury.

"It looks to me that you have second and third-degree burns. We're going to clean it and put some ointment on it then get it wrapped. You're going to need to keep it covered for several days, changing the padding twice a day. Will you help him with this?" He asked, turning his attention to me.

"Of course," I gave Edward a reassuring smile, holding his other hand while he laid back on the table. He was still a little dizzy from the pain of it all. I turned my attention back to the doctor. "Are you going to give him anything to help with the pain?"

"Yes. I'm going to give him a shot now and I'll also give him a prescription. I want you to follow up with your regular doctor in a week so we can check on the healing and go from there. How exactly did you get this?"

When Edward explained, I saw red. I couldn't believe they left him in charge of that. They should have known better. Edward still wasn't the best at figuring out the depth of things. Emmett or Jasper should have done it. I held my tongue, not saying anything. I knew it would upset Edward if I told him this. I couldn't scream that he still wasn't ready for certain things. I think he learned his lesson on his own, painfully.

After that, the doctor left to go get Edward that shot before he started to mess around with his hand. He explained to me that Edward would be out of it for the rest of the day.

I looked over at my husband, stroking his hair gently. His eyes were still watering, his throat swallowing in reflex as he tried to stop. I watched as his Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes finally meeting mine.

"Well, at least I don't have to worry about school this week," he tried to joke, but his voice was strained.

"Yeah. Well, that's at least something, huh?" I gave him a small smile back but it faltered as I felt a pulling in my lower stomach. "Ow," I whimpered. And then there was another. " _Ow_!"

"Bella? What's wrong?" He tried to sit up, but his eyes all but rolled back into his head.

"I just feel some pulling. It's fine. I'll be fine," I told him quickly, trying to offer him a smile. And then another came and I almost doubled over. "Ow, oh god."

"Doctor!" Edward began to shout loudly. "Someone!" He got up again, more slowly this time. He went over to the hallway. I could tell he was grateful that the nurse's station was just right there. He leaned against the doorway. "We need a nurse or a doctor in here, please! My wife. There is something wrong with my wife."

 _ **Edward**_

I felt completely useless as I watched a nurse go to Bella. She was still doubled over the bed, her arms wrapping around her stomach. The nurse began to ask her questions quickly, trying to figure out what the problem was. I only heard bits and pieces though because I was so dizzy, all I could hear was the blood rushing in my ears. I swallowed heavily, plopping down in the chair.

A second later, or it could have been a year for all I had to know, another nurse came with a wheelchair. Bella sat down, her eyes scrunched up in pain. Then I heard the words that scared the hell out of me.

"No, it's too soon."

As they wheeled her out, I tried to follow but the doctor came back and quickly stopped me.

"Where are you going?"

"My wife," I pointed after the wheelchair with my good hand. "She needs me."

"First you need to get fixed up."

"No," I began to walk past him but he grabbed my bad arm carefully by the forearm.

"Do you see that white there, son?" He pointed at a very small piece of white surrounded by a lot of red and pink by my thumb."That's bone. Now, you're going to sit down so you don't do any more damage to your hand and then we'll go take you to see your wife."

I nodded slowly, walking now completely numb over to the examining table. He lifted up the sleeve of my shirt, exposing my shoulder to him. He swabbed it without a word and pinched.

"This is going to hurt a little," he warned. "The sting doesn't last long. The medicine takes effect quickly."

He was right when he said it would hurt but just as quickly as the pain hit, a feeling of pleasant warmth washed over me. This didn't help my dizziness in the least. I didn't respond well to pain and I responded even worse to pain medication it would seem. One minute I was sitting upright and the next I was laying back on the table again. I didn't remember when that happened.

The last thing I heard for a little while was, "it's alright to fall asleep. It may be better if you did."

 _ **Bella**_

"I feel like an idiot," I muttered to myself, my arms thrown over my eyes as they continued to check for contractions. They just wanted to make sure there were none. Emmett chuckled, coming to sit with me since Edward was still out like a light.

"Aw, come on. It's not that bad. They say a lot of women think they're real contractions," Emmett repeated what the nurse said, but it really didn't make me feel any better. I gave him a look and he sighed. "At least you were already at the hospital. They did say stress can cause... whatever they're called."

"Braxton-hicks," I mumbled. "I still feel stupid for being so dramatic."

I went into full on freak out mode while they rolled me into another room. Crying and whining and all. It was so embarrassing. I don't think I would have acted like that normally. It must have been the pregnancy hormones making me as crazy as I was.

"Yeah, yeah. Well, at least you know what they feel like now. You won't freak out next time." I gave him another look, but it simply made him laugh. "It's not so bad."

"Still feel like an idiot," I sighed. "And, I should have been there for Edward."

"The only thing Edward needed was a blanket and a pillow. Seriously, Princess, he was snoring. You're fine. The doctor said that they'd bring him in here once he woke back up or when your tests were done. Whichever came first." Emmett looked down at his watch, making me look up at the clock automatically. It was just after two. "Why don't I get you some lunch?"

"Yeah, thanks. That would be good. Why don't you call the gang and let them know what's going on?"

"Sure thing." He gave me a gentle kiss on the forehead. "What would you like?"

"Anything you can get your hands on," I said, thinking about my now very hungry stomach. They would take me off the NST machine in a few minutes, but they were still going to keep me around for another hour just to make sure nothing else happened. They wanted to keep an eye on me.

Emmett laughed, making me smile with his jovial attitude. "Alright, be back in a bit. Be a good girl."

"Like I can do anything bad while they have me strapped to the bed!"

Laughing was the last thing I heard as he went down the hall.

 **Reviews = motivation!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	33. Chapter 33

_**Bella**_

I had fallen asleep not long after Emmett left to get me something to eat. It wasn't that hard for me to do. I was always tired. Even if the bed was too short, my feet were dangling off the edge, and the monitors were pressing into my gut. I was just too sleepy to care about those things. I curled to my side, hugging a pillow tightly as my thoughts drifted into darkness.

I dreamed, as always. This wasn't a horrible dream though, not really anyway. I dreamed about nurseries and sweet babies laughing, but there was always a sad undertone that I just couldn't put my finger on. There was no sound and no Edward. I knew in the dreams that he was not there for some reason and I hated that. The colors didn't seem to be as bright as they should have been without him. He brought such happiness to my life that the very thought of him being away made everything so dull. Like I said though, they weren't really nightmares but they weren't the happiest dreams I could have.

Gentle fingers began to run through my hair causing me to stir out of my restless sleep. I blinked away from the overly harsh hospital light, finding a rather dizzy-eyed looking Edward sitting beside the bed. His hair was a huge mess and he had huge purple circles underneath his eyes like he was completely sleep deprived. He looked so exhausted, no doubt from the pain medication that they had him on. The poor thing looked like he was having trouble keeping his eyes even open.

"Hey," I breathed, giving him a small sleepy smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly? Not sure. I know it supposedly hurts... I just don't feel anything." He shrugged, leaning his head beside mine on the plastic mattress, our lips inches apart. "How are you?"

"Did you talk to the nurse?" I asked, unsure of what he knew. I didn't want to go into a lot of details he already had. I wasn't sure he would be able to pay attention to me anyway.

"Yeah, she said something about 'practice contractions' but I didn't really understand. She just kept talking and talking. But, she did say something good. She said that we'll be able to go home pretty soon though," he said in a breathy voice, giving me a little dopey grin. His pupils were huge.

"They must have you on the good stuff," I teased, playing with the curls in his hair. His eyes all but rolled into the back of his head at the feeling.

"Mm," he moaned his answer, making me laugh softly. I leaned in and kissed him lightly on the very tip of his nose. "Are you in any pain?" He asked after a moment of being kissed.

"Nope. I feel a little embarrassed, but that's about it," I admitted quietly. "I can't believe I reacted that way. It wasn't that bad. I just freaked out."

"You did scare me there for a little bit. I would have come with you but the doctor knocked me out," Edward mumbled, his eyes drooping slightly. "Bastard."

I laughed and even though he didn't open his eyes, he smiled. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, a small dimple forming in his cheek. "I would have been fine either way. You couldn't help me in the condition you were in. What were you doing anyway? With the grill, I mean."

"Learning a very important lesson."

I raised an eyebrow. I waited for him to open one of his eyes to look at me. "And, what's that?"

He let the eyelid drop again. "I fucking _hate_ grilling."

 _ **Edward**_

After a rather amused Emmett woke my sleepy ass up, he took me back to the house with Jasper and Alice. Bella went to go get my pain medication, claiming that she didn't trust me not to wander off in this condition. All I could do was a smirk. She was probably right, but I didn't need the baby sitters.

Alice and I simply sat on the couch and watched Lord of the Rings. One thing I would recommend is not watching that movie while stoned. My reactions kept making Alice giggle and Jasper roll his eyes. Things just kept popping out of the screen and making me jump. It wasn't my fault.

Though I didn't want to spend the week in this way, it was probably a blessing. Bella and I didn't go anywhere the entire week except for on Thursday. We went to her doctor's appointment before heading off to lunch and after that, we were going to the grocery to get some supplies. We had depleted our food stores to a sad level.

I let Bella pick whatever she wanted to eat. The pain medication simply made me feel sick to my stomach and I wasn't eating all that much at once anyway. I would make up for it later though. We simply decided to get some pizza for the time being. It was the easiest thing and it was close to the grocery store.

I scanned the aisles, pursing my lips as I gazed the chips. I snatched up a bag of pretzels before tossing it into the cart. Though I didn't want to eat meals, I wanted to snack.

"You know, as much junk food as you've been snacking on this week without exercising, I wouldn't be surprised if you gained about ten pounds," Bella teased, looking at the bottled waters.

I knew if I didn't grab them, she would. So, I picked up a gallon of water in my good hand and placed it in the cart. Normally I would have grabbed the case, but I couldn't carry it for Bella and I didn't want her to pick up anything too heavy. The last thing I wanted was for her to hurt herself.

"Ah, I'll make up for it next week. I'll get back on my routine and I'll be fine." I gave her a little smile before picking out another bag of Doritos along with some bean dip. Cocking an eyebrow, she placed a hand on her hip. "Next week," I assured her.

"What do you want for dinner tonight?" She asked, changing the subject. "Steaks? Not grilled."

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "How about baked chicken with rice?"

"Mm, you cooking?" Giving me a teasing smile, she leaned over and kissed my cheek.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes as we went to the next aisle. I opened my mouth to answer, but standing there was Irina. Bella turned to me, her eyes confused as they followed mine to what I was looking at. She instantly turned red with anger, her cheeks flushed. I began to turn around, hoping that Bella would come with me without a word but it was pointless. I heard Irina call my name.

"Edward, are you okay? What did you do to your hand? What did _you_ do to him?" Irina growled, turning her head towards Bella.

"I'm fine," I muttered as I ignored the last part, trying to grab the cart with my good hand. Bella seemed unmoving, stock still in place and annoyed. "Bella, come on. Let's go, honey."

"No. I've got something to say," she said to me before she turned her bright brown eyes to the blond standing before us. "You listen to me and you listen to me good, you giant-"

"Bella-" I warned, but my wife raised her hand and cut me off.

"Let me finish. You will not talk to my husband again. Do you understand me? What gives you the right?" She hissed angrily. "You were his teacher! He trusted you! He wants you to leave him alone!"

"Calm down. You might hurt the babies." Irina said dryly, looking unimpressed by Bella's little tirade in the middle of the Kroger's.

"Babies? How do you know it's more than one?" Bella said as her eyes narrowed on the blond, taking a step forward.

As I realized what she said, I also realized that I had not told her that Bella's was pregnant with twins and neither had Bella, that was for sure. Where would she get that sort of information? We had no friends in common. I avoided her like the plague.

Irina could have said a lot of things. She could have said it was obvious from Bella's size if she wanted to be mean or she could have said that she had heard it around if she wanted to be vague but what she did end up saying was a very big mistake.

 _ **Bella**_

"Edward told me," the skank said in a thick Russian accent.

He put his hands up quickly, his eyes becoming narrowed on her. "I sure as hell did not. I haven't said more than ten words to you in almost six months."

That was it. I had enough of her. Who the hell did she think she was? Talking me to like that and pretending her and Edward were having little conversations. Like they were great buddies or something.

"Alright you crazy ass bitch, you stay away from us. Let me put it into terms you'll understand." I pointed towards Edward. "Mine. Not yours. He's mine." I pointed towards my chest. "Edward's wife and mother of his children." I pointed at her. "Crazy creepy pathetic stalker. You can sure as hell bet your ass we're reporting you to the school on Monday! You're a goddamn predator! You don't need to be around students. What the actual fuck is wrong with you?"

"Okay, love. Why don't we check out now?" Edward tried to ask in a calming voice but I barely noticed him. Irina and I were in a staring match and I was not about to let that bitch win. She was out of her mind.

Slowly my husband tugged me away, even if I didn't wish to be. He wrapped a protective arm around my shoulder as he tried to guide me out.

"Bitch," I heard her mumble from behind me.

I tried to shake out of Edward's grip, but he wouldn't allow me to go anywhere. He leaned in close. "You are better than her. Remember that. Don't go down that road."

"I've already gone down that road and I'd like to finish what I started," I growled back, turning my head back to see a smirking Irina. I wanted to wipe it off her face.

Edward sighed, stopping at the end of the aisle. He grabbed my face, forcing me to look at him. "Bella, it doesn't matter. I'm yours. Only yours. You know that. It doesn't matter what she thinks. We'll go on Monday and finish this the right away."

He leaned in slowly and lightly kissed my lips before deepening it. His strong arms wrapped tightly around me, his sweet breath against my skin. I turned my head to the side as he kissed my ear and whispered his love for me just in time to see Irina stomp off. I smiled to myself, but not because she was angry. No, because I was happy to be in Edward's arms. That's the only place I ever really wanted to be.

"Come on. Let's go get some ice cream and get out of here." I tugged at his good hand, pulling him along with me.

 _ **Edward**_

Bella had a hand on my lap the entire drive home. She was mainly driving at the moment because I was still on the pain meds and I didn't trust myself behind the wheel. She was totally silent the entire ride and as we moved the things inside. As we began to put the things away, I decided to start the conversation. I just hoped that she wasn't still upet.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly.

"Did I go too far?" Bella asked, putting a box of pasta in the cabinet.

"Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't punch her again," I laughed. Bella clicked her tongue, sobering me up quickly. "I'm really not sure... She shouldn't have said anything to you. I don't know, Bella. One day very soon she'll figure it out the hard way and you won't have to worry about it, okay?"

"I guess," she sighed, "but I'm scared there will be someone else and then another someone else and-" I cut her off with a kiss, stopping the movements of her hands. She melted against me, her warm body feeling so nice against mine.

"You are the only someone I want or need. Stop worrying about." I grinned, giving her a firm kiss on the forehead. "Besides, remember..." I pointed at her chest. "Mine." Then I pointed at mine. "Yours."

Bella laughed quietly, laying her head against my shoulder. "Yes, yours. I'm yours." She looked up slowly, nothing but love in her eyes. "We're all yours."

 **And that was the last that was ever heard from Irina.**

 **Reviews are motivation!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	34. Chapter 34

_**Edward**_

Jasper and I waited rather impatiently for our girls to finish up their final class. We sat in the tiny greasy little diner at a table in a corner. We came here a lot and almost always sat at the same spot most of the time, just kind of hanging out as we waited for our beautiful lunch dates to arrive. We had already ordered and received our drinks, the girls taking longer than usual. I had nothing to pass the time because I already knew what I was going to eat. I always got the same thing. They served breakfast all day and it was the best. I had to get their pancakes.

"Excited to have this all over and done with?" Jasper mused, playing with the straw in his overly sweet tea.

"Hm?" I mumbled, not really paying attention to anything. I picked apart the straw paper, tearing the white and green paper into tiny little bits. "What?"

"Ready for a break?" He asked with a laugh. "It seems like your brain is fried."

"Oh god, is it ever," I mumbled. "Yours would be too if you had this much going on."

Jasper nodded his head thoughtfully. "I hope I handle it as well one day." I raised an eyebrow at him in question. "One day," he answered quickly, stirring his tea once again. I could tell he wasn't enjoying having the attention put on him. He changed the direction of the conversations quickly. "Got anything planned before the babies?"

"Ah, not too much. Let's see... the graduation ceremony is in what? Two weeks. The baby shower is the Friday before. My mom is coming the day before to help and Bella's dad and my dad are coming the day after for the whole thing, one in the morning and one in the evening."

"And how are you keeping this all straight?"

"I have no fricking clue," I moaned, laying my head down on the table. "One more class, right? That's it for me, huh? After today I'm done."

"Two more hours and then you've got a busy summer to get to," he smirked.

"Crap," I sighed heavily. "It feels like I haven't stopped moving since high school. Last summer was just as busy."

"Speaking of which, congrats."

"What?" I mumbled, confused. What did I need congratulations for really? I hadn't done anything all that amazing.

"You've been a seeing man for almost a year now," he explained.

I thought about the dates and he was right. It was late May and Bella was almost at the very end of her pregnancy. Thinking back on the past year, we had been in the hospital a lot, but not all of it was so bad. I looked down at my now scarred, but healed, hand and flexed my fingers slowly. Everything was moving so fast and it felt as if these precious little pieces of time that I needed to hold onto so dearly kept falling through my fingers.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks."

"You guys going to do anything to celebrate?" He asked before taking a small sip of the amber liquid.

"Sleep," I answered dryly.

He laughed, patting my shoulder. "It's not too bad. It could be worse."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the girls get out Bella's new car. I had finally talked her into getting a newer and safer one. Besides, there was nowhere to put two kids in that thing. We kept the truck and I planned on getting it completely refitted with a new engine for her birthday, along with a new paint job. I had given her a warning that I was going to do so. Surprisingly, she didn't seem to mind as much as I thought she would.

"Here they are," I smiled to Jasper, pointing at the door.

"I'm done!" Bella danced in happily with Alice hot on her heels. "You are looking at a college graduate."

I stood up from the diner chair, smiling sweetly at her as I brought her in a tight hug. "I am so proud of you."

I turned my head to the side, resting my head on her shoulder. Jasper gave me a weak smile, my thoughts wandering back to our previous conversation. Maybe we did need to do something to celebrate. It would have to wait until the weekend though.

"Come on, let's eat. I'm starving!" Alice interrupted our little reunion, plopping down heavily in a chair. Bella rolled her eyes but smiled, coming to sit beside me. "What are you guys having?"

 _ **Bella**_

"Guess what Jasper reminded me of?" Edward asked as he laid beside me in bed on his side, his long thin fingers tracing over my belly button. It was popped out and as Emmett so nicely put it, the turkeys were almost done. At just about thirty-four weeks, I was miserable. I felt huge. Bigger than I had ever felt before. Uncomfortable was an understatement.

"What's that?" I asked, not looking up from the screen. I wanted to get at least another two hundred words written before I gave up for the evening. It was going to get a lot easier to find some time to write, well at least until the babies were born.

"I've been able to see for a year."

The words made me stop. I closed the laptop, letting that simple sentence sink in. I savored it for a long moment and smiled. "Yeah, you have. I hadn't realized."

"I was thinking maybe we could celebrate?" He asked softly, leaning in to kiss my stomach gently.

"How do you propose we do that?" I ran my fingers through his hair, grinning at his sweet nature. Dragging his nose over the curve of my belly as he scattered kisses over it, a shudder ripped through me violently. I put the laptop to the side, the story I was working on all but forgotten.

"Let's go to Chicago for a couple of days."

"What?" I asked, shocked.

"It's just that I haven't gone home since Christmas a couple of years ago and I haven't seen my room yet," he explained as he sat up. "I don't know what Chicago really looks like."

"I don't know, honey," I said in a soft sigh. "The doctor said I couldn't fly after thirty-five weeks."

"I know..." He trailed off, his bright green eyes pleading up at me. "That's why I was thinking we should leave tomorrow and then come back on Tuesday before your appointment? That would give us part of Saturday, Sunday, Monday and I bet we could arrange for you to have a later appointment and that would give us part of Tuesday as well. A long weekend? What do you think?"

I bit my lip, unsure what to say. I hadn't felt sick in a long time, so the flying part wasn't so scary anymore. And Edward should see his room, his home. He had never seen it before. I could give that to him.

"Edward..." I trailed off, not really knowing my answer.

"You and my mother could go shopping for baby stuff," he said quickly. "Please? Besides, you ladies need to go over the designs still for the babies' room."

I knew I should have gone over this stuff sooner with her. It was just finding the time. I wasn't too worried that the babies would be born before it was set up. The doctor said I looked like I was going to make it to full term and that was still over six weeks away. But, he was right. We needed to go over it.

"Okay."

"Okay?! Really?" He smiled brightly.

"Yeah. But only if we can leave tomorrow. You should go buy the tickets."

 _ **Edward**_

I made arrangements for the earliest flight I could find which was around ten in the morning. Bella moaned and groaned about the time, but didn't argue too much. We each packed a small bag with all the stuff we needed. If we missed anything, we could buy it up there. I knew we were going to leave with far more than we came with anyway.

I had to admit, I hadn't called my parents to let them know we were coming. I wanted it to be a surprise. I had booked us a suite at the same hotel we stayed at the first time we came so long ago. I wanted to see everything that Bella did that night and all the other days we were there.

There was so much I wanted to do and so little time to do it in. I hated that we couldn't stay longer. But, Bella would have to go back to the doctor's and our lives were there. As much as I sometimes missed Chicago, Shreveport was where the best things in my life were.

The plane ride was quiet and our first class seats were comfortable. Bella didn't get sick at all but instead slept the entire way. I napped too, actually. It was around four in the afternoon when we arrived at my parent's home, taking a taxi. We had already dropped off our luggage and freshened up first, at Bella's request.

I couldn't help but marvel at the home I grew up in. It was beautiful, white and large. It seemed like something out of a movie, though I didn't know which one.

"The door isn't going to open itself," Bella giggled into my ear when she realized I was staring at it. I gave her a crooked grin and nodded.

"I guess you're right." I wasn't sure what to do. I just didn't want to walk in for some reason. So instead, I decided to ring the doorbell and wait patiently for someone to answer.

"Edward?" My father said brightly as the door came flying open. "What are you doing here?" He laughed, hugging me tightly. He quickly turned his attention to Bella, holding her at arm's length before giving her a chaste kiss on the forehead and a tight hug. "Look at you!"

"Well, we have a couple of things to celebrate and I wanted to see Chicago before we didn't have a chance to again. I hope you don't mind?" I asked almost nervously.

"Are you kidding? This is fantastic! Your mother is going to go insane. Ugh, she's going to hate it when she realizes that you didn't give her any time to prepare and the fact that she wasn't here to greet you," he said, ushering us inside. "I should call her."

Bella giggled softly. "Let me do it."

I shrugged and looked at my father, who shrugged in return. It was clear that Bella had something planned for my mom. It was so nice to see that they got along so well.

"Sure, go for it."

Bella pulled the cell phone from her purse and pressed the number five on her speed dial. She bit her lip nervously as she waited for an answer.

"Hey, Esme! How are you?" She grinned as she heard the answer. "That's fantastic. Actually, I do need help with something. You see, I really _really_ really wanted to go shopping for baby clothes." Her grin grew. "No, next week really doesn't work for me. You see, I'm actually out of the state right now." Bella looked like she was about to split at the seams she was grinning so much. "Illinois."

There was a loud scream that everyone could hear through the phone. Bella laughed, pulling the speaker away from her ear as she waited for my mom to finish. I chuckled, sending a look towards my father who was rolling his eyes. He shook his head with a sigh and a smile.

"It's going to be mayhem. I can see it now."

"Okay, see you in a bit," Bella replied into the phone before clicking it off and sticking it back into her purse. She giggled again, practically glowing. "She says she'll be here in twenty minutes."

I laughed quietly, "but, her office is thirty minutes away." I shook my head and then offered Bella my hand. "Come on, I want to go see my room."

 _ **Bella**_

Edward took the stairs slowly up to his room like he couldn't remember exactly where he was going but had a vague clue. But I knew that wasn't the case at all. I could see it in his eyes that he was counting out the steps as he used to when he was blind. Like the very last time he was here. I took his hand, holding it loosely in my own, just gripping two of his fingers as I followed behind. When we came to the white door he looked over to me and gave me a slightly nervous smile then released a slow and unsteady breath.

"Wow," he whispered. "I've gotten so used to seeing but this... This is different. I feel nervous for some reason."

"I'm sorry we didn't come sooner." I looked down bashfully, biting my bottom lip. He lifted my chin up and lightly kissed my lips before shaking his head at my words.

"There is nothing for you to be sorry about, love. We were both busy and simply didn't have the time. Besides, we're seeing it now. That's all that matters."

I nodded my head and then motioned for him to open the door. He had stalled too much already. I knew he was just putting it off. Edward smiled again and then sighed, quickly opening the door. He pushed it in but didn't step over the seal as if something horrible would happen to him if he did. When he didn't move it was my turn to sigh and I released his hand, walking past him. I needed to show him that there was nothing to worry about.

Flicking on the lights, I smiled to myself. I had some good memories in this room. I turned to Edward who was still looking around from the doorway. I opened up my arms to him and he grinned, walking towards me. I knew he needed my comfort and I was more than willing to give it to him. There was nothing more than I wanted to give him.

"Is it what you imagined it to be?" I asked him as I brought him into my arms, hugging him to me. I lightly kissed his neck, reaching up on my tiptoes to do so. I played with the ends of his hair as he thought of the answer. I could have played with his hair all day. It felt like silk against my fingertips.

"My mother always described the colors to me but honestly, no. It's not what I expected at all. I'm not sure what I expected it to be. I've thought about it before, but I never really was able to picture it. I didn't think to look at actual pictures."

"Do you like it?"

He nodded his head slowly. "It fits me, in a way. I like our home better though."

I smiled slowly, coming up to kiss him lightly on the lips. "That's because it's a mixture of both of us."

He smiled against my lips.

"You're exactly right."

 _ **Edward**_

I kissed her lightly on the lips for a few more minutes, holding her as tightly as possible to my chest as I did so. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable though so I loosened my grip. The babies were constantly pressing on some vital organ now. I stroked her hair and pressed my lips to her forehead.

"Thank you for this."

"You're very welcome." She smiled before pulling away from me, going to sit on the bed. Everything was perfectly cleaned like my mother had it ready for me to come back at any moment. The idea was rather sweet actually. "Hm," Bella breathed, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Do you remember what happened in this room the last time we were here?" Even though she was in a very very pregnant state, her voice dripped sex. It caused a very quick reaction.

I chuckled and went over to the stereo, trying to hide the arousal that was poking me in the thigh. The vinyl that we listen to most of that trip was still on the turntable. I turned it on, Incubus coming over the speakers softly. I looked over my shoulder at Bella.

"I also remember something involving a dress and a corset."

"God," she whimpered, laying back on the bed. "That was an interesting night, to say the least."

"That was the night that I figured out that I wanted to marry you."

Bella turned her head to the side, watching me as I came to sit on the bed. I leaned down over her and lightly kissed where her heart was, placing a hand on her stomach.

"Edward, I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

I would have kissed her again but I heard the sound of heels clicking against stairs. Bella giggled as my panting mother came to a halt in the doorway, leaning against it. Her suit jacket was all askew, dropping her leather bag down to the floor.

"You could have warned me!" She said in an accusing tone.

"We didn't know for sure until late last night," I chuckled. "I didn't want to wake you up or bother you at work."

"Ah huh," she muttered as she pushed herself off the doorway. She came towards me, embracing me in a big hug then planting a wet kiss on my cheek just to spite me I think. I grimaced, wiping it off with the back of my hand. My mother laughed softly, kissing the tip of my nose once I was done. "So good to have you home, at least for a little while. Now, I've got to hug my other baby."

Bella heaved herself off the bed, not without a bit of a struggle, and came waddling over to my mother. They embraced tightly, my wife kissing my mom on the cheek.

"It's so good to see you. I know you have some stuff you want me to look over."

"Oh honey, that can wait until after dinner. Why don't we make Carlisle take us out somewhere nice? It's already starting to get a little late and I'm sure you guys are tired and hungry." She took Bella's hand and started to lead her towards the stairs, leaving me behind. "So, what are you in the mood to eat?"

 _ **Bella**_

We ended up going to a place called Nick's Fishmarket after I said I was in the mood for seafood. I could practically sense Edward rolling his eyes at me from behind. It was what I was craving though. I was sure he was getting sick of fish, in all its forms, by then. I tried to curb it, but at least the fish was good for you in small doses.

I looked over my menu, biting my lip as I tried to figure out exactly what I wanted. The problem was that I wanted everything, even though I felt like I got full within a matter of bites. The babies were pressing on my stomach and bladder mostly, annoyingly enough. When the waiter came by, I told her to do my order last. Carlisle decided to take the lead.

"I'll take the 16oz New York strip with a fully loaded baked potato, please." He grinned as he handed the pretty waitress the leather bound menu. Esme clicked her tongue, grabbing his attention. "What?" He asked innocently.

She rolled her eyes but smiled. "A doctor that needs a nutritionist. I'll take the Shrimp and Lobster risotto, please. I'd also like a glass of the house red wine as well."

"Of course, ma'am," the strawberry blond said, quickly scribbling the order down. When her eyes came to Edward, they slightly glazed over. Without even thinking my hand went to his, holding it tightly. I knew it was bad but even in a small way, I wanted to claim him as mine. He smiled over at me, not even looking at the girl as he ordered.

"Roasted salmon, extra sauce on the side."

"And you, ma'am?" The waitress said with a sigh in her voice. She gave me a little smile because she could see that we were together and that she thought I was lucky. I was, very much so.

"Tuna with the tropical fruit and rice."

"Alrighty, I'll get that put in for you and I'll have it out as soon as I can."

"Thank you." Carlisle smiled, turning his attention to the two of us across from him. "So kiddos, do we have a name for the little ones yet?"

"Um," I mumbled, rubbing the back my neck. I chanced a peek at Edward. He was doing the same thing.

"Uh... no, not really," Edward answered for me.

"You can't agree?"

"We've only kind of somewhat talked about it once. We've been so busy. We just haven't thought about it," I answered with a sigh. "It makes it harder since we don't know if it's boys or girls. That's four names we have to pick out."

"Do you have a book?" Esme asked, leaning over the table to take a sip of her water.

"Ah, no. Bella has banned baby books from the house," Edward chuckled. I reached over and smacked his shoulder with the back of my hand. He laughed a little harder. "What?"

"I haven't banned them. I just banned you quoting them all the time."

"Sounds like Carlisle," Esme muttered then flashed him an innocent smile. He smirked for a moment but it melted and he leaned over to give her a light kiss on the cheek. She rubbed her fingers through his hair, forgetting we were there for a moment. They looked like they were lost in a sea of happy emotions. It was obvious that they were still very much in love with each other. Like I had done so many times before, I hoped we would be that in love in so many years.

"How about after dinner we run and get you some baby name books? We can all look at them together," Carlisle suggested, coming out of his love-induced stare. I smiled and nodded, taking a sip of my water before taking another peek at Edward. He grinned the same silly grin as his father before kissing me softly on the cheek.

"Sounds like fun."

 _ **Edward**_

After dinner and some ice cream for dessert, we decided to go to Target to get a baby name book or two. I looked at my mother in confusion for a moment before she admitted the real reason she wanted to go to Target.

"They have some baby things I want to show Bella, for the nursery," she defended quickly. I couldn't help but laugh at her.

"Have you ever considered adopting a baby, Mom?" I asked as I draped an arm over her shoulder. "You're still young enough."

"How about I just borrow yours?" She looked over at me with a sarcastic smile, leaning into me as we walked to the car. "Being a grandparent sounds fantastic to me. Ideal even. I get to play with them when they're cute and gurgling and happy, then I get to pass them off to you for a diaper change and crying. I wish I could have been a grandparent first."

"Ha," I threw my head back with a laugh. "Good god, these kids are going to be so spoiled."

"You just now figured that out?" My father and Bella said at the exact same time. We all laughed as we got into the car, buckling in. I wrapped my arm around another beautiful woman, my wife, and leaned my head against her shoulder.

"So, what kind of baby stuff are we looking at exactly?"

"Bedding and such. I already have the cribs narrowed down to what I think Bella will really like. I was shopping the other day and I thought that this would go over perfectly with what we have planned so far. Bella, dear, you still wanted to do the creams and soft greens, right? Winnie the Pooh?" My mother asked.

"Sounds perfect," Bella said with a soft sigh as she gazed over me. She placed her hand over her stomach and I knew the babies were kicking again. I leaned over and placed my hand beside hers. She smiled widely and kissed my neck. One of the babies kicked against my hand and I chuckled, just so happy. It made it all the more real to me. I loved feeling them.

"It is perfect."

 **An impromptu trip to Chicago sounds fun.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	35. Chapter 35

_**Edward**_

I growled at the baby name book that was still on my chest when I woke up the next morning. All together we stayed up until just past midnight looking at names. Then Bella and I stayed up on our own until two looking at books together.

The only thing that I learned was that we were never going to agree on a name, ever. Not a single one. _Ever._

I tossed the book to the side. It landed on the nightstand beside us and then I turned to my pretty bride beside me. She was still curled up, asleep. It was just past seven and I knew my mom would be in here soon to start the day. I didn't want to. I wanted to go back to our hotel. I wrapped my arms around her tightly, lightly kissing the bare shoulder that was peeking out over the top of the blanket. Sometime during the night, she stripped out of her clothing. She was always too hot, poor thing. She almost always woke up with nothing but underwear on in the mornings.

"Mm," Bella mumbled, snuggling into me closer. "Morning."

I kissed the top of her head. "Go back to sleep, love. I know you have to be tired."

"No, I want to get up. Your mom is taking me to her office today and then we're going to go shopping."

"I know, but that can wait another hour while you get some more sleep. I'm sure she won't mind. You're the golden girl right now. Carrying the golden children," I teased with a chuckle.

"Well, the golden girl has to get up anyway. I have to go to the bathroom," she said as she pushed up off the bed. Bella leaned down and lightly kissed my forehead before scrambling away quickly. I chuckled as her hips swayed to the bathroom. "And, I'm hungry."

"Of course you are..." I muttered, flopping back on her pillow and burying my face in her scent. It was so nice.

"I heard that."

I whimpered into the pillow, closing my eyes tightly. "I don't want to get up."

"You're going to hang out with your dad today. Come on. Don't be so lazy."

"I'm not lazy," I defended as I rolled over onto my back. "I'm tired."

"Wah wah wah..." She teased from the bathroom doorway, leaning against it. "It'll be fun."

"It'll be just as fun in two hours."

 _ **Bella**_

I dragged Edward out of bed, surprised at my little burst of energy. I had no idea where it came from. It surprised even me. He muttered and moaned as he got dressed, dragging behind me as I went down the stairs in a waddle.

"Good morning, dear," Esme said brightly as we sat down at the breakfast table. She was still in her sleep clothes, pink slippers on her feet. There was already muffins and coffee on the table along with juice and milk. There was also Carlisle, looking as tired as Edward. He had his chin resting on the palm of his hand, yawning softly.

"Good morning, Carlisle," I leaned over and pecked his cheek. He grinned and blushed, much to my surprise. It was rare to see him do so. I think I caught him off guard. "How is grandpa this morning?"

"Tired," he sighed. "How's the mama?"

"Hungry," I giggled as I picked up a muffin and placed it on my plate. He offered me some coffee but I shook my head, opting instead for the milk. Coffee wasn't that great for the babies, especially the way I made it. I turned to Edward, about to ask him what he wanted to eat and started to laugh. He was dead asleep with his head leaned back, his mouth hanging open. All he needed was drool coming down his chin to complete the picture. "Edward. Edward, honey. It's time to get up."

He jerked forward, sucking in a deep breath as he ran his hand over his face. He looked around, completely confused. "Sorry."

"Get used to that," Carlisle muttered almost to himself. "It's not going to get any easier when they get here."

"Breakfast time!" Esme said a bit too brightly for the men's taste. She brought out a plate of eggs and bacon. I snatched the meat up, shoving half of it into my mouth before spooning some eggs onto my plate. Everything looked so good. Eggs were my favorite, for that moment anyway. It changed almost hourly.

"So, what do you boys have planned?" I asked between bites.

"How about a game?"

"What kind of game?" Edward asked, confused.

Carlisle rolled his eyes. "Baseball. The Cubs. There is an afternoon game. That way we can be home tonight when the girls get done with their shopping. I never really got to take you as a kid. You didn't enjoy crowds."

"That sounds great, Dad." Edward gave his father a reassuring smile.

 _ **Edward**_

I knew nothing about baseball.

We sat in some of the best seats in the stadium, from what my father said, behind the dugout. Apparently, he had the tickets anyway and he was going to go with my mother instead. She was more than happy to give up her seat to me. She didn't mind going, but it wasn't her favorite thing in the world. Bella gave her the best excuse ever. To take her up to the office and show her the plans for the nursery was far more entertaining to her anyway. They also went by the hotel, but I just showered and changed into some of my old clothes at the house.

After taking our sweet time to get ready and having a lazy lunch of burgers, we sat and waited for the first pitch. It was my first baseball game with my father. I kind of felt like a little kid again.

"Hm, I think I'm going to get a hot dog and a beer," Dad stated loudly with a happy sigh and a stretch.

"How can you be hungry? We just ate."

"I'm not. But your mother isn't here to fuss at me. I should enjoy it while I can. Would you like anything?" He asked with a rueful smile.

"Coke," I said with a shrug. "Want me to go with you?"

"No, I'll go get it. I'll be back in a few minutes." He patted my shoulder. "I don't want you to miss the first pitch, just in case."

"Alright."

I sat quietly, looking all around me. There was a lot to take in. It was all starting to blend together, especially the people. They all kind of looked the same to me. Male or female, it didn't matter. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, simply listening to the sounds around me. That was a little overwhelming as well, but not nearly as bad.

"Edward, is that you?" A very familiar voice said, extremely close. I opened my eyes slowly as I let the voice process in my head. It only took me a second to realize who it was.

"Tanya?"

 _ **Bella**_

"Oh wow," I breathed as I came into Esme's office. It was amazing. It was completely beautiful. She pointed out the different offices of her friends to me before taking me back to her own.

"Excuse the mess. I've been busy." She gave me a small smile. I couldn't help but laugh as I looked over her desk. It was covered with everything baby.

"Esme, you didn't have to go to this much trouble," I said with a sigh as I sat down.

"It's no trouble, believe me. Now, these were the paint colors you were going to go with still, right?" She said, showing me a soft green and an ivory cream color. I nodded my head and smiled as the image came into my head. The green walls with a white border. "Good. The painters are going to be at your house on Friday in the morning. Is that okay with you? I want that fresh paint smell to kind of air out before the baby shower. You know everyone will want to see it."

"That sounds like a good idea to me."

"Do you still want all white furniture?" She asked, picking up a book. I nodded my head again, taking the paper from her. "I've narrowed down a few choices. Any of them can be shipped to your house before next Wednesday. I am so glad you guys came up here. This was going to be so much harder to do over the internet..." Esme continued talking but I kind of tuned her out. I was too focused on the bedroom set in front of me. It was perfect. "What is it, dear?"

"I want this one," I said, pointing to the first page. I didn't need to look at anything else. These were the cribs that I wanted.

She smiled widely. "I knew it. It fits you perfectly. Do you like the changing table and the wardrobe as well? There is a bookcase, too. I was thinking we could get two of those for storage. That room is big enough."

"Oh, it's perfect, Esme. I love it. Thank you," I gushed.

"You're more than welcome. Everything will be shipped to your house that Wednesday before the party. Someone will come on Thursday to put most of it together. I'm sure a lot more things will be arriving every day and I don't want you to open a single one of them. I want you completely relaxed for your party. I will set everything up, under your supervision of course, on Friday. Do you understand me, Missy? No work for you."

I giggled and smiled, nodding my head quickly. "I'm sure Alice and Rose would love to help."

"That would be perfect. Now, shall we look at bedding?" She brought out an even bigger book and plopped it down on her lap. "Should we order some lunch in?"

"I think that might be a good idea."

 _ **Edward**_

"Edward, what in the world are you doing here?" The tall blond girl with glasses said to me, coming down to hug me. "Wait! Oh, my god! Can you-"

"See?" I said with a laugh, hugging her back. "Yes, ma'am. I can."

"You've been in the south too long," she teased lightly, patting my hand as she sat beside me in my father's seat. I was glad she didn't make a big deal of my slowly changing accent. "I can't believe you've finally gone through with it. I had heard rumors, but I wasn't sure. I also heard a few _other_ rumors."

"And what are those?" I said with a sigh _._

 _No more drama_ , my brain pleaded.

"That you're married and that you're going to be a daddy," she said with a knowing smile, peering down at my left hand. I brought it up and flashed her my wedding band. "So, the married part is true. What about the other one?"

 _Thank god. Please continue to be a normal pleasant conversation._

"Twins, early July."

"Girls, boys, or both?" She asked excitedly for me. It surprised me.

"Not a clue," I laughed. "Let's not get started on that though. So, how are you? What are you doing here? You're not exactly the baseball type either, my friend."

"I'm dating one of the pitchers," she said with a blush. "I come to every game now."

"Maybe you can tell me how this game is played then." I laughed again as I leaned over to her, speaking in a whisper, "I haven't a clue."

"Me either," she teased with a small, patting my knee.

"Alright, I got a hot dog, popcorn, a beer, a soda, and I got you a baseball cap because it's going to get bright out-" My father started but stopped when he saw the person sitting in his seat. "Well, hello there, Tanya. How are you?"

"Good, Dr. Cullen. Well, it was nice seeing you Edward and you too, sir. I'm going to head to my seat. I'm a bit closer to the front," she said, nodding her head towards an empty seat surrounded by other women. I could only assume it was other girlfriends and wives. "It was really great seeing you again. I'm glad everything is going so well for you. Enjoy the game. Both of you."

"You too, dear," my father called after her politely. "Tell your parents I said hello."

"Will do. Bye!"

Tanya had matured a lot since the last time I had any real conversation with her. She seemed happy and pleasant. My brain was instantly relieved that she was so nice.

Dad plopped down in the seat and put the cap on my head. "For your eyes. It's bright today."

"Wow," I breathed, looking over my dad in surprise at what just happened. Not the hat, but my ex.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"I never knew Tanya was so..." I trailed off, not sure what to say about the one person I dated before I met my perfect match.

"Pretty?" He offered, taking a sip of his beer. "Yeah, you've always had that knack. You got that from your father."

I laughed, leaning my head back. I scrunched up my nose, my cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "I prefer brunettes, truthfully."

"Good thing you married one then," he elbowed me before handing me my soda. "Oh, look. They're about to start."

 **Thanks for reading!**


	36. Chapter 36

_**Edward**_

I don't think either one of us wanted to leave Chicago. Bella enjoyed spending time with my mom, a woman closer to being a real mother than her own, and I enjoyed spending time with my dad. We hadn't had enough father-son bonding time since I got my sight back. We also enjoyed exploring the city I had grown up in, because, for me, it was the first time. I saw things that just amazed me and I loved it.

"I almost asked you to marry me on the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier," I commented on the plane ride back. I knew it was rather random but the thought just popped into my head.

Bella giggled and smiled, "I know, love. I'm glad you didn't though. I wasn't ready then. Trust me, I couldn't have asked for a better proposal."

"Oh, was I just so sexy in my hospital gown that you couldn't resist me?" I teased as I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

"I can't resist you anytime," she teased back, kissing the tip of my nose. I chuckled, snuggling closer to my wife as I relished her warmth and softness for the rest of the pleasant flight back.

Even though we had doctor's appointments almost daily afterward, we were both pretty relaxed. Bella's belly was starting to drop somewhat, but she hadn't dilated any which was a very good thing. I didn't want them to be early.

"Ugh, don't," Bella complained as I took a picture of her on the couch on the day of the baby shower. I had to admit that I didn't know a lot of the people coming. Alice had taken care of the guest list. Also, a lot of things were being sent to us by friends of my mother and father. We had more stuff than we knew what to do with already.

"Get used to it," my mother teased as she set up a large vase of flowers. "You're going to have your picture taken a lot today, my dear."

Bella huffed, putting her feet up on the couch. She was completely swollen and was staying in bed most of the time. She hated it but she got a lot of writing done. Bella still wouldn't let me read her novel, but she promised one day that she would. One day soon most likely. She wanted it perfect first though. She said it was just something light, but I could tell she enjoyed it.

"Can I get you anything?" Alice asked, kneeling beside the couch. "Something to drink?"

"Some fried chicken," Bella smirked.

Alice gave me a frustrated look and I started to laugh, handing her the camera as I went to help my mother with something. That's what she got for asking. I heard a soft sigh as the beeping of the phone began.

"Hey, Jazz... Can you do me a favor?"

"That girl doesn't need any fried chicken," Mom muttered to herself as she fussed over the refreshments table. "Lunch will be soon."

I shrugged. "She'll take two bites and be full. I just think she wants something to keep her busy," I told her honestly.

"Fried chicken as a hobby, interesting."

 _ **Bella**_

As much fun as baby shopping was, I was not having fun at the baby shower. I didn't know half the people giving me gifts! Though, Alice and Esme looked like they were enjoying themselves. I was extremely glad it was over.

"Aw, I hope I have a girl," Alice whispered as she ran her fingers over a set of bows I had gotten. I got a lot of stuff that was just for a girl or a boy since people didn't know what I was having. I would have a lot of stuff to return once I had the babies, either way. Everything had receipts taped to it.

Alice had been acting very strange lately. Very teary-eyed and kind of depressed. She said it was due to the fact that she had given up caffeine, but I didn't believe her in the least. Something was up, I was just sure of it.

"Alice, are you Jazz trying to get pregnant?"

She flushed a bright red, looking down at her hands as she quickly folded up a set of onesies.

"Something like that," she muttered.

"What do you mean _something like that_?" Rose said with a raised eyebrow. "You either are or you aren't."

"We aren't, at the moment..." She trailed off, shrugging. Alice looked around to make sure none of the boys were around. They were busy being slaves to my wonderful mother in law. They worked with... well, very _little_ complaint. We had gotten a lot of bigger items for the nursery and they were putting them all together. "Because, well, I am..."

"That's fantastic!" I smiled. I considered getting up to give her a hug but I wasn't sure by her expression if that was the right thing to do. "Is that not fantastic?"

"I've had two miscarriages," she whispered, looking down at her knees. "Once while we were dating and once since we've been married. I wasn't that far along in either one of them."

"Why didn't you tell us!?" Rose asked, annoyed.

"Because I haven't told Jasper yet. I want to make sure it sticks before I do. I'm around eight weeks now. If I make it to ten, I will. We've just been talking about it so much lately since you guys got pregnant and Jasper is so excited about the idea. I don't want to get his hopes up though," she explained.

The conversation quickly ended when the men, followed by Esme, entered the room.

"Everything is put together and put into place! Want to come to take a look?" She smiled as she helped me to my feet. I nodded my head and grinned, urging my friends to join me. Though the nursery was decorated the day before, it seemed bare for some reason. It was missing something, something more than babies anyway.

 _ **Edward**_

"Oh, wow..." Bella breathed as she came into the room. She turned to me with a huge smile and wrapped her arms tightly around my neck. "Oh!," was the only sound she could get out.

"Do you like it?" My mother asked, smiling. She knew Bella loved it. She loved all the clothes hanging in the closet and the pictures on the wall. She loved the new mobiles hanging from the tiny white mini cribs in each corner of the room. Bella loved the big Winnie the Pooh rug and the curtains that matched. I knew she did. I knew because I felt it simply pour out of her body. A second later Bella began to sob, pressing her face against my shoulder as she nodded her head. I was finally used to it. What I wasn't used to was Alice bursting into tears as well.

"Alice, are you okay?" I asked as I turned to her. Jasper just seemed confused. He came to her side without a word, touching her arm.

Bella pulled away from me and walked to her friend, hugging her tightly. They both began to cry louder as Rosalie sniffled. Emmett backed away like she was a ticking time bomb.

"I want a baby!" Rose whimpered as she just joined the circle of crying women. I looked to my mother for help but she looked as lost as I was.

"I want it to be just like this," Alice said, gulping for air. "Can I have the hand me downs?"

"Of course!" Bella said with a laugh, her voice rough. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"I think I missed something," Jasper said, backing away from the girls and coming towards me and Emmett. "Do you guys know something I don't know?" He whispered.

"I think your wives' biological clock just went off, gentlemen," my mother laughed as she walked out of the room, patting their shoulders as she passed.

"Oh, shit," Emmett muttered. "I need a beer."

"Me, too," Jasper said quickly, following behind Emmett as he left the room. There wasn't any beer in the house so I wasn't really sure where they were going. That left me in the room with a bunch of crying and crazy women. I licked my bottom lip, looking around for something I could do. Finally, I spotted a box of tissues. I grabbed it quickly and kind of put the box in the middle of their circle.

"Thank you," they all sniffled, each taking one. Rose actually took the box from me and hugged it to her chest with one arm.

"Edward, honey," Bella began, giving me a watery smile, "why don't you go get you something to drink?"

"Oh, thank you," I said, truly grateful. I loved all of those women greatly but there were too many tears in that room for me. If I had daughters, I wasn't quite sure how I was going to handle living with three women.

Maybe boys wouldn't be so bad after all.

 _ **Bella**_

After everyone calmed down, we sat on the floor of the nursery and continued to sniffle.

"Rose, why are you crying?" I asked, pulling another tissue from the box.

"Because I want a baby too," she said, dabbing her eyes. "And I'm not even married yet."

"You will be soon. Don't worry. You'll be able to start a family soon enough," I said, rubbing a gentle hand over her back. She sighed, leaning her head on my shoulder.

"I sure hope I can. I mean, we haven't been the most careful over the years and we haven't even had a scare. I don't know if I'm happy about that or not. What if we can't have a baby?"

"Then there is adoption and medications," Alice reassured her. She scooted over and wrapped a tight arm around the other side. "You can spoil our kids until then. Lord knows we'll need a babysitter."

Rose laughed, tiny tears still streaming down her cheeks. We both hugged her, snuggling in closer to her. I think she needed to be held at the moment and was just too strong to say so.

A quiet knock pulled us out of our circle. I turned my head and smiled. "Come on in, Esme."

She smiled sweetly at us, carrying what was left of the cake and four forks. "I thought you might need this."

Rose and I agreed, nodding our heads as we reached for the forks. She sat down in our circle just as Alice sprang to her feet, clutching her mouth and stomach as she ran out of the room. I sighed, wondering how quickly I could get to my feet. Rose saw what I was doing and hopped up.

"I'll go get her. Eat some cake but save some for me."

I smiled and nodded my head gratefully, going once again for the fork. I took a small bite from one corner as Esme took one for the other.

"So, how far along is she?"

"That obvious?" I smiled.

"She burst into tears in a nursery and just ran out of the room, clutching her stomach," she pointed out. I chuckled, taking another bite.

"Eight weeks. No one else knows yet. Poor Jasper."

"Why do you say that?"

"If Edward thinks I'm crazy with all this baby stuff, just wait until Jasper gets Alice in baby mode. She's going to put them in debt shopping for baby clothes," I said, licking the fork of the frosting. "But, she will get some hand me downs from me. Maybe she'll be able to pass those down to Rose." It was a nice thought, thinking about all our kids playing together. Growing up together.

I suddenly imagined if I was carrying girls and so was Alice. Maybe Rosalie could have one as well. And they would grow up the best of friends like we were. It was so wonderful. Or maybe if my friends had boys they could get married one day and we could become family. The thought was a little silly, but it made me wistful.

Maybe girls weren't so bad after all.

 **Reviews are motivation!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	37. Chapter 37

_**Edward**_

"Hey Dad," I smiled as I picked him up from the slow airport. There wasn't really that many people around so it was really easy to spot him. I wanted some company as I went to pick up my father but my mom was at the house with poor Bella, making me go to get him alone. Bella was having a little trouble with swelling in her ankles and legs and she wanted to stay off her feet as much as possible for the following day. As she put it, she didn't want to be a blimp.

"How was your flight?" I asked as he climbed into the car, chunking his suitcase into the backseat. He hadn't brought too much stuff with him. I knew that he hated that he had to go back in a couple of days and my mother got to stay.

"Boring," he sighed heavily, leaning his head back against the headrest. He looked really tired but I knew he had been working really hard to finish up some loose ends since he decided to retire in the fall.

"That's a good thing," I repeated the words that had been said to me before. _A boring and eventful flight was always a good flight._

He smiled slowly, nodding his head at my words. "I suppose you're right about that. How's Bella feeling? I know she was uncomfortable when you guys came to visit," he said, changing the subject. I knew he was worried about her and he wanted to watch over her care, even though he wasn't that kind of doctor, a bit more carefully. It was nice having a doctor on our side.

"Nervous, honestly. She hasn't seen Charlie since New Years. She doesn't know how he's going to react to all of this. I mean, I know he knows she pregnant but he hasn't seen her this way yet," I told him truthfully. I was a bit nervous. I certainly hoped that he didn't travel with his gun. He was going to kill me for putting her in such a miserable position. "She's also nervous about walking in heels tomorrow. She's afraid she's going to fall and bust her face in front of everyone." I rolled my eyes. I couldn't believe that the girls had talked her into it.

Dad chuckled, it a warm sound and inviting sound that rumbling through his chest. I always liked my father's laugh. It meant even more to me now that I could see the expression that went along with it.

"I'm surprised she wants to walk at all. How far along is she now exactly?"

"Thirty-six, almost thirty-seven weeks. She'll be Thirty-seven on Tuesday," I informed him with a sigh in my voice. I was ready for it to be over and not, all at the same time. It was more than a little nerve-wracking.

"Almost there," he tried to comfort me, patting my shoulder as we drove through the busy streets of Shreveport. It was just before lunchtime and everyone seemed to be busy trying to get to places.

I sighed again, looking over at him as I stopped at a red light. "Don't remind me."

"Scared?" He asked in a soft and comforting voice, though I could tell he was a little amused by the whole thing. He must have known exactly how I felt because he went through the very same thing. His must experience must have been more frightening at the end, with what happened to Mom, but I imagined our situation was scary in a whole different sort of way.

"As hell," I admitted.

 _ **Bella**_

We had a quiet lunch all together at home which was really nice. I could tell Carlisle had missed his wife quite a bit. She had been gone a lot lately. But, in all truth, I couldn't relax in the least to really enjoy anything. I hadn't seen my father in months. I wanted to go to the airport to pick him up but I was way too tired already. I was completely drained. He had a late flight and I had to get up early in the morning anyway. Esme didn't want me to wear myself out too much. I felt like I could barely move as it was so I gave in.

"So," Carlisle began slowly. He had decided to stay behind with me while Esme and Edward went back to the airport to get Charlie. It was nice to have his company. He was a sweet man. "Is Renee coming as well?"

I sighed heavily, not really wanting to talk about it as I shook my head.

"I haven't had any contact with Renee since March. I doubt she even knows what's going on. Ever, that is." I smirked.

"Are you going to tell her when the babies are born?" He asked carefully. I could tell if I didn't want to answer that I didn't have to, but I didn't mind telling him. I think it would be harder to talk to my own father about this subject. I don't think he would understand it completely. He always wanted peace in our little broken family, no matter what. Sometimes that just wasn't possible.

"I'm not sure," I said in a quiet sigh. "I don't know. I don't know what I want to do with her about anything. I can't have her around my children if she's this-"

"Unhealthy?" He added for me.

"This insane! Seriously, who acts like that?" I began to rant. I probably didn't need to get this excited but I didn't care. "She's jealous and hateful. She doesn't know Edward and she's condemned him. She won't even give him the chance he deserves. He's never done a single thing other than prove time and time again that he is a fantastic and caring man. She should be happy for me!"

"You know, I really can't tell you what to do about her, dear. I can't imagine ever speaking to you or Edward in such a way that would make you not want to speak to me for months. I wish I could though.

I wish I could give you some kind of good pearl of wisdom. But you're a beautiful young woman and I am glad you are in all our lives." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pressed a soft kiss to my temple. He was a fantastic father. "I hope it all works out for the best. I will do whatever I can do to help."

"Me, too." I smiled at him. "Thank you so much."

"Bells?" I heard Charlie call loudly from the front door only a few seconds after it opened. It was like he was expecting me to wait for him by it. Boy, was he in for a surprise.

Carlisle patted my back with a small smile before helping me to stand to my sore feet slowly.

"I'm here, dad," I called back to him, my voice sounding strained even to me. Standing shouldn't be that hard.

"Look at you!" He practically cried in shock as he pulled me into a big hug.

"That bad?" I asked as I looked down at my huge stomach.

"You're glowing!" He laughed, looking as if he was going to burst into tears at any moment. I could see the tears actually forming in his eyes as they welled up. I sniffled, trying to hold back my own. I couldn't handle it if my father cried. It would have been too much.

"So full of it," I laughed brokenly, trying to lighten the mood somewhat. I'm not sure it worked though.

"Don't argue with her, Charlie," Edward stepped in with a soft laugh. "Just go with it. Trust me, it's just easier. She is willing to argue for days now. Though, I agree with you."

Esme smiled and laughed at the comment, going to whisper something in Carlisle's ear. He looked really surprised for a moment before whispering back into his wife's ear. A slow smile grew over his face as she nodded her head quickly, her beautiful curly caramel hair bouncing with the movement.

"Is something going on?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nope, nothing," Carlisle grinned sheepishly over at his wife. "We're just going back to the hotel so you two can spend some time together. Well, you five, actually," he teased as he came over and for the second time that night he pressed a kiss to my temple. "See you tomorrow, sweetheart. Try to relax and sleep well."

"I love you both," I called to their retreating forms as they walked hand in hand.

"We love you, too." Esme smiled, blowing me a kiss before walking out the front door. I smiled, feeling really happy at that moment. I had a good life and a good family. Well, mostly.

"Okay, baby." Charlie smiled, getting my attention back from my in-laws. "Tell me about these babies of yours. I want to see everything."

 _ **Edward**_

Bella was way too nervous to sleep. I don't think she slept an hour the entire night. She tossed and turned the whole way through, randomly grabbing the blankets or throwing them to the floor. I think she went to the bathroom six different times. But, she looked like she was about to fall asleep with Rose and Alice doing her makeup as she laid on the bed. I shuffled through my closet, looking for the shirt I had wanted to wear. I wanted to look nice for Bella. It was her special day.

"What have you been doing to this woman to make her so tired?" Rose teased quietly. I turned my head to the side to see Bella was, in fact, asleep, sitting up with her mouth hanging wide open. Alice was busy doing Bella's nails while Rose worked her hair into curlers at the top of her head. She honestly looked really silly and I smiled to myself before turning back to the closet.

"Like she's been up to anything like that," I told her truthfully. I knew what she was implying and she was very wrong.

"Oh, what? No more naughty pictures?" She called to me softly.

I choked on my own spit, coughing loudly. Bella didn't even stir. "How did- What?" I stuttered out stupidly, turning to look at them once again.

I knew my face was bright red and I couldn't imagine the color Bella's would be if she was awake right then. I couldn't help to feel embarrassed. Not because of what we did, but because they found out about it. It was something private. I had promised her no one would see them. I didn't know how they knew though.

"Got them hidden in the closet there, Eddie? I wanna see!" Rose kept on playfully, clearly loving torturing me. Alice was just laughing silently, keeping on with her painting.

Alice cleared her throat softly as she noticed my confused expression. "Bella accidentally let it slip. She didn't want to tell us."

"And she was giving me a hard time about it," I mumbled. " _Oh!_ That's why you girls were giving me such a hard time at the barbecue." I figured out quickly.

"Yup. We decided to let your hand heal before we started to torture you again," Rose grinned wickedly. She wiggled her eyebrows, giving me a suggestive look. I just had to roll my eyes at it.

Alice laughed loudly at her friend's words. "You just forgot about it until he was standing there. Don't act like you had a plan or anything."

"Plan for what?" Bella mumbled as she began to wake up, the look of confusion and tiredness clearly written all over her face. I don't think she was really awake.

"Nothing, sweetheart," I said sweetly as I came over to kiss her on the lips after I grabbed my shirt from the closet. I needed to shower and change anyway, so this was a good cue for me to leave. "Go back to sleep if you can. You've got a long day ahead of you. I don't want you to get too tired. Remember we're going to dinner afterward."

"K," she mumbled, almost instantly closing her eyes and snoring softly once again.

I gave Rose and Alice a meaningful glare, my face completely serious as I looked at both of them.

"Behave. It's Bella's day and I won't have anyone messing it up."

 _ **Bella**_

 _Oh, my god, oh, my god, oh, my god..._ I chanted in my head over and over again as I waited for the whole ceremony to start. I was so sick to my stomach already. This was nerve-wracking and the shoes I was wearing were killer. All I wanted to do was get it over with so I could start the rest of my life.

One day, after my kids were in school themselves, perhaps I would go back and get my bachelor's, or maybe even something more. I didn't hate school, that was for sure, but at the moment it was too much. I had enough to handle. I was already pleased with myself for making it this far, a lot of people didn't. I knew Edward would support me either way.

"You must be tired," the girl beside me commented, nodding her head towards my stomach.

I let out a hollow laugh, leaning my head against the hall's wall. "Exhausted."

"Don't worry," she said with an encouraging smile. "We'll be able to sit down soon."

I gave her a little grin. "Yeah, that would be nice. Sitting down would be good. My feet are killing me and I want to take a nap. I couldn't sleep I was so nervous."

"Me either," she said truthfully, a little sheepish smile on her face. "So, how far along? Looks like any day now, huh?"

"Probably in the next couple weeks. My doctor's said they would induce me at thirty-nine weeks if I didn't go into labor with my own. I'm having twins and they want me to go as long as possible. I've done pretty well so far," I explained.

"Ah, my sister had twins, but she had them really early. They were about three pounds each when they were born." But she grinned at me. "They're seven now and they're little hell-raisers. Boys are bad though."

I gave a little mental sigh of relief. "They're about six pounds each now. One is only a little bigger than the other, thankfully."

"Do you know what you're having?" She asked. I could tell she was just trying to take her mind off of what was about to happen. I couldn't blame her though. I needed the distraction as well.

"Nope, sadly. They won't even let us have a little peek," I giggled. "They're already as stubborn as their father. I'm hoping for little boys though, truthfully."

"Have you got names?"

That was a question I dreaded. "Uh, we're kind of waiting until we-"

She laughed softly, "can't agree on them or just can't find one?"

"A little of both," I admitted with a groan in my voice.

She laughed a little harder. "Don't worry, when you find the right names you'll just know. You'll see their little faces and you'll go 'wow, you are a-' whatever the name is that you pick."

"I certainly hope so. We need to get on the ball though. We don't have too much longer."

"All right, grads! Let's get this show on the road!" Some teacher in all black shouted, giving us some last minute orders before we were supposed to walk. The girl gave me a nervous grin that I returned.

 _Yup, let's get this show on the road..._

 _ **Edward**_

I watched with family as my beautiful wife walked across the stage to get her diploma. She had earned it with honors. My mother leaned her head against my shoulder as they called 'Isabella Cullen', openly crying. Both fathers were trying their hardest to hold the tears back, puffing up their chests like it would make them tougher. Charlie was having the hardest time, of course. It was his little girl. Tiny tears dripped down his cheeks which he quickly swept away.

It was amazing how loud the group that cheered for Bella was. We weren't that huge but Alice, Rose, and Emmett were probably the loudest people in the Gold Dome. I could see Bella's blush from across the room, walking with one hand covering her eyes in embarrassment. We all laughed, whistling and cheering happily.

I don't think I had ever been so proud in my life.

But, I didn't expect the madness that started after the end of the ceremony. The place was buzzing and crowded, people wall to wall. They were all starting to blend together, my eyes aching with the strain. My mother noticed and without a word, she took my hand and stood close to me.

"Alice is going to call Bella," she shouted in my ear. "That way she'll tell us where she's at and we can go to her. We don't have to fight the crowd as much."

"Sounds good," I said, relieved that Alice thought of that. We hadn't been very organized about what was going to happen afterward. My graduation was nothing like this, of course. There were only twelve people in my class. Even with all our families, we did it in a small cafeteria.

"She's on the gym floor, towards the middle. She's sitting in the chairs. Middle inside, tenth down." Alice shouted to everyone in our little group, taking Jasper's hand. "She got too tired and had to sit," she laughed with a small smile.

"I don't think she wanted to fight the crowd either," I laughed and smiled. "Can't blame her in the least."

"Come on. Let's go get her. I know she's got to be hungry. She didn't eat anything this morning." Charlie shouted but it was a little too loud. Most of the people seemed to be moving outside. He grimaced and cleared his throat, trying again. "She needs to keep up her strength."

"How is she going to keep up her strength with cheesecake and french fries?" Emmett teased my father in law, slapping him on the back. He grinned to show he was teasing. Charlie rolled his eyes.

"You may have a point there."

"Can you guys stop making fun of my wife? Seriously." I rolled my eyes, holding in my laughter. I had to cover my bases, of course. I knew it would get back to her if I did tease her. I preferred to do my teasing in person, anyway. I loved to see her blush.

We easily found Bella on the now empty gym floor, her feet out in front of her with her shoes off. She was flexing her toes, leaning against the side of the chair with her head on her shoulder. The deep purple circles under her eyes were hard to miss. I knelt in front of her, taking both of her hands and kissed them lightly.

"Hey there," I said in a soft voice.

She smiled slowly at me from underneath her eyelashes. "Hi."

"I am so proud of you."

"Thank you." She grinned. I took her into a deep hug, pulling her to her feet slowly. Kissing both of her cheeks, I held her face in my hands as my thumbs grazed her temples.

"There's our girl!" Charlie said, coming to kiss her cheek as well as my arm wrapped around her waist.

 _ **Bella**_

I'm so proud of you," my dad gushed.

"Thanks,." I smiled, hugging him tightly. Carlisle and Esme stood back, giving us our moment. I couldn't have that. I walked up to both of them after putting on my shoes, hugging and placing a soft kiss on each of their cheeks. "Thank you for everything."

"We love you," Esme whispered into my ear, kissing my hair.

"You've done so well," Carlisle said in return, rubbing my arm.

"Okay. Not to break up this family love fest too much, but where's my lovin?" Jasper jumped in. I chuckled and pulled him into a hug too. He huffed, picking me off my feet for a moment and passing me off to Emmett. Both of my girlfriends squealed, hugging me in once Emmett put me down.

"You really have done well, Bella," a familiar voice said from behind me. I whipped around, my mouth dropping open. "But, you could have done so much more."

"Renee?"

 _ **Edward**_

I turned quickly when I heard her voice, instantly getting angry. "What are you doing here?"

"It's my daughter's graduation," she said with her chin up in the air, disdain dripping from her very being. I knew it was wrong to punch a woman but I wanted to so badly.

"H-how did you even know about it?" Bella stuttered out, looking as if she was about to go into shock.

"Your father told me," she said in a matter of fact voice. We all turned to Charlie.

"You said you wouldn't come!" He growled at her. "Are you insane? Renee, you've really lost it. I swear-"

"Oh, can it, Charlie. What did you expect me to do?" She asked her hand on her hip with it cocked to the side.

"Not ruin your daughter's special day. That's what I expected you to do, you nut!" He shouted at her, throwing his arms up in the air almost dramatically. His face was starting to turn a nice shade of purple. I wouldn't have been surprised if he had his gun he would have shot her. He was literally livid. "We discussed this! She doesn't want you here!"

"Oh, my god," I heard Bella groan loudly, her hand gripping my shoulder. I hadn't been looking at her but now she had my full attention. She was gripping her stomach, slightly hunched over as if she was doubled in pain. And then I noticed the puddle of liquid on the floor.

"Her water just broke!" I heard my father say as he rushed to my wife's side. "Honey, are you in any pain? Where does it hurt? The fluid is clear, that's good. No blood. Bella, honey, answer me, please. Are you in any pain?"

"My back hurts," she whimpered loudly, her head tilting back as she took in a deep breath. "It feels like someone kicked me."

"That's normal. Okay, we need to get you to the hospital," he said as he peeled her hand off my shoulder and gripped it tightly in his own. I took her other hand, supporting her arm. Bella was still slightly hunched over. "Bella, I want you to tell me when you have a contraction so we can time it. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, sir," she said in a soft voice, trying to move her feet forward but she couldn't. She didn't seem to be able to move at all. And then Bella screamed, her limbs tensing. I'm surprised she didn't fall over.

"We'll go get my jeep," Emmett said, running away from the group quickly as he hopped into action.

"Well, that's one," I said quietly, rubbing her back as I felt her muscles relax.

"Oh, god. There's more of those? These are contractions? Oh, my god," she moaned, leaning against me as she tried to catch her breath. I could tell it was a challenge. "These are so much worse. Practice ones, my ass."

"Well, perhaps you should have thought of that before you got knocked up," Renee said crudely from behind us. I was just about to say something when my mother spun on her heels, her finger up in the air and pointing it directly at Renee's nose.

"Now you listen to me and you listen to me good you fucking nut job. You have done enough damage to this girl already and if I hear another rude word from you, I will beat your ass into the goddamn ground. She's a fantastic woman and she's going to be a great mother, something you don't seem to understand. Now, you can either be a jealous bitch or you can be a supportive mother. It's your choice. And it's Bella's choice whether you're in her life or not. But, either way, we don't have time for you right now because OUR grandchildren are about to be born and unless you want them born on a basketball court why don't you shut the hell up!"

I think everyone stopped to look at my mild-mannered mother, mouth's open. Even Bella seemed to forget her pain. I looked over my wife's head at my father.

"Whoa. I don't think I've ever heard her cuss like that before," I breathed.

"Neither have I," he murmured, turning his attention back to his very red-faced wife. "Come on, son. Let's get Bella to the hospital."

 **Once a troll, always a troll.**

 **Only two more chapters left and an epilogue!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	38. Chapter 38

_**Bella**_

"Ow, shit, shit, shit," I hissed as another contraction hit. I thought sitting down in the car would be easier, but it wasn't in the least. Nothing seemed to help.

"They seem to be around fifteen minutes apart. That's a good thing. We have more than enough time to get to the hospital," Carlisle told me, trying to be reassuring. I didn't think it was reassuring in the least. I nodded my head, leaning it back against the leather of the seat. It was so damn hot outside and I was already sweating. I felt like I was drenched all over.

Edward held my hand, whispering soothing words in my ear, "it's alright, love. Is it over now?" He asked quietly.

"For now," I answered, lolling my head onto his shoulder. Charlie was on the other side of me, holding onto my hand for dear life. He gave it a gentle squeeze to get my attention.

"I'm so sorry about this, Bella. This is all my fault," he muttered, his face red with embarrassment.

"Why did you tell her?" I asked, taking a deep breath.

"I didn't think she would come!" He defended himself quickly. "She called and asked about you. Renee sounded almost normal over the phone. She and Phil are getting a divorce and I think she's on medication now."

"I think she skipped today's dose," I growled out through gritted teeth. I felt like my body was twitching all over, even my toes. I hated it. "Edward, I'm never doing this again," I said as I looked at my husband.

"It's okay, love. I know. Don't worry about that now. Just try to relax while you can," he said, kissing my temple. "Turn to the side a bit, I'll give you a message until we get to the hospital."

 _ **Edward**_

I rubbed her back gently, putting soft pressure on her spine. She melted into my touch, heaving out a heavy breath.

"I need my bag," she said suddenly like she just remembered it. I touched her shoulders, hoping to calm her down some.

"Mom and the girls are going to get your bag from the house. Jasper went on up to the hospital to let them know that you're coming," I reassured her as much as I could. I wasn't sure how much good it was doing at that point. "Don't worry, everything has been taken care of."

"Where's Renee now?" She asked Charlie in a strained voice.

"I don't know, sweetheart. Don't worry, I'll talk to her."

"As if that would help," she muttered angrily. Bella gave her father a small half smile, "I'm not mad at you, Dad. I'm mad at her."

"Bella, try to rest some. You don't want to put any stress on the baby," my father piped in, turning to look at my wife. I could tell he was really concerned, but he wasn't going to let anyone else know that. He knew he had to be a rock because everyone else was freaking out. Especially poor Emmett.

Emmett, who was driving, hadn't said anything the entire way. It was rather scary to have him so quiet.

"Hey, Em? You alright up there?"

"Rosie wants kids," is all he said.

"It's not always like this," Dad said, patting his shoulder. My friend turned to look at him, an odd blank expression on his face.

"Rosalie wants babies," he said again.

"Uh, why don't you just concentrate on driving right now, buddy?" I said, a little concerned myself. I think he was in shock. Bella wasn't even really in pain at that point. I think the way her labor started was a bit dramatic, but she didn't seem to be having any problems.

"Good idea," Charlie chimed in. We weren't that far from the hospital anyway. "Bella, honey, you okay?" He asked again for probably the fifteenth time.

"Yeah, Dad. Peachy keen," Bella said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "My hips are coming apart, TWO things the size of a watermelon wants to come out of a hole that is smaller than an orange. My clothes are all wet and I'm pretty sure I'm the only woman at Centenary to go into labor during graduation!"

"Technically, it was after," I corrected her. She turned around and gave me an evil look that would make any man flinch. "But, yeah, you're right. Probably are," I added in quickly.

"Be careful there, son. You wouldn't be the first man to end up in a bed beside his wife while she's in labor," Carlisle chuckled. "Your mother hit me with a bedpan... though it was after she had you."

"So, you just said something stupid then?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. He had enough sense to look a bit sheepish and shrugged. "What did you say?"

"I compared your hair to an orangutan's." I was sure I looked shocked for a second because he continued on quickly, "I'm not saying you looked like a monkey, just that you had that really _really_ orange-red hair as a baby. It got a lot darker as you got older."

"Great. We're going to have ape babies," Bella said as she leaned her head against my shoulder.

"Well, at least they'll be cute ape babies," I said with a charming smile. Bella rolled her eyes but smiled slowly, lightly kissing my neck before nuzzling her face into it.

 _ **Bella**_

Not long after that, we arrived at the hospital and Jasper had a wheelchair waiting for me. I smiled at him, and Emmett, gratefully as they helped me down to from the massive jeep while Edward held the chair steady for me. I plopped down with a little squeak, blowing out a heavy breath. It felt like I couldn't get enough air in me for the life of me. I kept trying and trying, but it didn't work.

"The labor unit is on the fourth floor," Edward told his father as they walked briskly down the halls. She had to go up there a couple of times for those non-stress tests. "You might want to call Mom and let them know, so they know where to go. Also, visitor's parking is on the side."

"Look at you, Mr. Organized," I teased in a huff as we boarded an elevator. It seemed rather full with me, Edward, Charlie, Carlisle, and Jasper. Emmett had gone to park the jeep after some instructions from Edward. I wasn't really sure what he had said to him because I really wasn't paying that much attention.

"No, not really. I just don't want there to be any confusion," he said as he massaged my shoulders.

The elevators seemed to crawl, but I couldn't pay attention to that as another contraction hit me hard. It was worse than the last. It felt like my hips were breaking.

"Ow!" I hissed, the noise harsh and drawn out. I could actually feel the heat from my face as I scrunched up, trying to work past the pain. "This is normal. This is normal. Everyone woman does this. Every woman in history has to go through this. I am okay. I will be fine," I began to chant to myself.

"I am so glad I am not a woman, that's for sure," Jasper said sarcastically.

"Just you wait, Mister. In about seven months you're going to be in this position and let's see how funny it is," I spouted out at him before I could even think about it. I popped my hand over my mouth, shutting up quickly.

"What was that?" Jasper said in a quiet voice, kneeling down to look at me. "Say that again."

"Nope," I shook my head quickly.

"Bella," he warned.

"Dammit! She knows I can't keep a secret. Don't tell her I told you. She's worried she won't keep it. I mean, that it won't stick. Alice doesn't want to get your hopes up," I said in a rush, tears coming down my cheeks.

We rolled out in the hallway out of the elevator and Jasper stopped Edward, kneels in front of me this time. He took my face in my hands and looked at me very seriously.

"It's okay, Bella. I'm not upset. Don't cry." Jasper leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "I won't tell her until she's ready, I promise. Your secret is safe with me, okay?"

"Thank you," I smiled through my tears. I licked my lips, trying to make them moist again. I was so thirsty and I knew I wouldn't be getting anything to drink. I sighed heavily. "Come on. Let's get this over with."

 _ **Edward**_

We had Bella settled in a room for just a few minutes when everyone seemed to show up at once. I went outside to greet them and tell them what was happening, giving Bella a few minutes while the doctor did some things. As soon as my mother walked towards me, she apologized.

"For what?" I asked, but then I realized. "What the hell are you doing here? Haven't you done enough?" I said with venom in my voice as Renee walked up behind her.

"Sorry," my mother said again. "She followed us from your house."

"You need to leave," Charlie said, pointing towards the elevators.

"Not until I know for sure my daughter is alright," she said with her nose up in the air. It was hard to remember that it was wrong to punch a woman when she was acting this way. She so deserved it. How could anyone be this insane?

"Your daughter won't be alright as long as you are here," I told her in a growl.

"Look, I just want to see my daughter. I need to talk to her," she said, pointing a finger at my face.

"The last thing you need to do is talk," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "I will not allow you to make her any more upset and put any strain on those babies. What if something happens because she gets upset, huh? Will you even care? I doubt it. Because you're a selfish evil old hag who won't be happy for anyone else because you've screwed your life up. Do you think everyone else should be miserable because you are? You know, misery may love company but you need to find it somewhere else."

"You're right," she whispered. "I am selfish, but I'm trying to work on that."

"You need to work on your issues somewhere else," I said, my anger not going to be soothed. I had taken enough of her abuse. I had done nothing to deserve it and I wasn't going to play nice with her any longer. I had been a saint when it came to her so she could just deal with it if she didn't like it. My mother touched my shoulder, giving me a heavy sigh.

"Go check on Bella and make sure she's doing okay. I'm going to talk to Renee," she said, looking directly at my mother in law.

"But-" I started but my mother gave me a firm look, telling me to shut up in her own way. "Fine. But if you make her upset in any way, I'm calling security and then I'm calling a lawyer to start a restraining order. Got it?"

 _ **Bella**_

"Hey, love," Edward said as he came to sit down beside me. He looked so nervous and distressed. I felt bad that he was. He didn't need to be. Everything would be okay.

"Hey," I whispered back, giving him a small smile.

"What did the doctor say?" He said as he took my hand, squeezing it as he sat at the edge of the bed.

"He says everything looks okay. It's a little early but he says they're a good size, so it should be fine. They might be in the NICU for a couple of days, but he doesn't expect any problems. He also said I was at two centimeters. They're thinking in the next couple of hours they'll give me a spinal block."

"Wow," he whispered. "This is really happening, huh?"

"Yeah, is it," I said with a soft sigh. I was so sore all over that I couldn't bring up that much enthusiasm. Also, my hand hurt from the stupid IV they had put in. At least they only had to poke me once. They were so uncomfortable though.

"Are you in any pain?" Edward asked, his eyes strained. I hated it. I wanted to make him feel better. I motioned him closer to me and he did what I wanted. Lacing my fingers into his hair, I kissed him firmly to show him all my love for him. Even if I was hurting, it was worth it to have his babies. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he laid his forehead against mine.

"For what?"

"This isn't the way today was suppose to go."

I laughed hollowly, "not your fault."

"No, it's mine."

 _ **Edward**_

"What the hell are you doing here?" Bella growled through gritted teeth.

"Calm down, honey," my mother said, standing behind Renee. "I've talked to her. She knows what is going to happen if she upsets you in any way."

"What's that exactly?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

Renee crossed her arms over her chest dramatically, cocking her hip to the side. "That your mother will happily beat me with her black Prada."

"Sounds like something Alice would say," Bella muttered to herself quietly.

An older white haired nurse popped her head into the room, looking around for a moment before she spoke, "only two visitors at a time, please."

"I'd really like to talk to Bella alone," Renee stated as she looked directly at me.

"I'm going to wait outside with everyone else," my mother said to Bella with a slight smile. "I'll come to check on you in a little bit."

"Okay," Bella gave her a weak smile in return.

"I love you, dear."

"I love you too, Esme," she smiled a bit more, giving a tiny wave of her hand. It was impossible to miss the grimace of pain on Renee's face. I felt like shouting. _This is how a mother is supposed to act! That's how you earn a child's love!_ But, I knew it would be completely pointless. Renee wouldn't listen to logic, most likely. I had grown tired of dealing with her.

"I'll be waiting _right_ outside the door," I leaned over and kissed her forehead lightly. "Call me if you need anything. Anything at all," I said the last part, looking at Renee.

"Thanks," she whispered before turning her gaze to her mother.

 _ **Bella**_

I waited until Edward was out of the room before I spoke to the woman before me. I didn't even know her at all. It was rather sad actually.

"You better start talking. I've got less patience for you than Edward does, Renee."

"What? So, I'm not even Mom now?" She asked angrily. Was this really a surprise? It shouldn't have been. I couldn't see how it could be. She had to know this by now.

"Ha," I blurted out loudly, surprising her. "That is a title earned, not given, _Renee_. You lost it a long time ago when you lost your damn mind."

"How dare you speak-" She started but I was not going to be lectured by her, that was for sure.

"Edward!" I quickly called up. She hushed me quietly, raising up her hand to stop me from continuing to yell for him.

"Sorry, sorry. This is not how I wanted this to go," she said with a sigh, running a hand over her face as she gathered her thoughts. "I know that I haven't been the best-"

"Producer of offspring," I muttered under my breath, crossing my arms over my chest.

Renee smirked at my words but continued anyway. "I haven't been the best _mother_. And I know I need to apologize for that."

I rolled my eyes. "Apologize? Seriously? No, you need to do more than that."

"Bella, I'm trying to make amends here," she replied, her voice stressed. I wasn't in the mood to hear it though. I hurt all over and my back ached like it never had before.

"All you're doing is making yourself feel better and I have no time for it at the moment." I waved my hand over my large stomach. "As you can see, I'm a little busy about to give... Oh, I don't know... What's the word, oh yes! _Birth_! Are you out of your mind showing up at my graduation? You had no right and see what you've done now. Are you happy?"

"I didn't realize this would happen," she whispered.

"That's your problem. You never think things through. I'm not your babysitter anymore, _Mother_. You have to realize that. I know it scares you, having to be a grown-up and deal with your own problems, but that doesn't mean you have to take it out on me," I explained quickly.

"Phil said the same thing," she looked away from me as she spoke, "right before he handed me the divorce papers."

"Good. It serves you right. You can't treat people like that. Do you see what you've lost because of it?" I knew it was mean but it was true. I wasn't going to sugar coat things for her.

"Have I lost you?"

"Yes, as a daughter. It's going to take me a long time for you to make up for the things you've done. You have lost my trust. You've lost your husbands, both of them. If you don't stop you're going to lose your entire family because I will not allow you to hurt my children." At that moment another contraction chose to happen, this one stronger than the last. They were also getting closer together. I cringed, gasping as I held onto the railing. Renee came closer, but I stopped her. "Don't you dare touch me. You haven't earned the right."

"I had to say something! You can't blame me for that. You're making the same mistakes I made," she said, turning her back to me and looking out the window. It was starting to cloud up outside and it looked like we were about to have a summer storm.

"I'm not a mistake! I have never been a mistake. And if you didn't want to have children, you should have kept your legs SHUT! My CHILDREN aren't mistakes! They are meant to be here! My husband isn't a mistake! And unlike you, I'm HAPPY! And anyone can see that! All you are is JEALOUS!" I seethed through my pain.

"SO WHAT IF I'M JEALOUS! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THIS WAY FOR ME!"

"Well, if you stopped acting like a nut then maybe you could be happy for a few damn seconds in your life. Go see a doctor and get your medication back. It was working!" I yelled back.

"I know! I'm back on it!" She said, taking the pills out of her purse and showing them to me, shaking the bottle. "I just couldn't _not_ come today! I don't know you anymore, Bella! I don't know anything about you! I miss you!"

"Yeah, well I miss my mother too. If you find her, tell her to give me a call," I snapped back quickly, my head landing back against the pillow with a thud. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes before I started again. "If you can be civil, you can stay. If I hear anyone say that you are being even a little sarcastic, you're out of here! Do you understand me?! That includes Edward. He is the best person I know and I will not allow you to treat him like dirt. He deserves better than that."

"He's a snooty little Yankee," she mumbled under her breath. Renee lifted her hands up quickly in defense when she saw my angry expression. "But, I'll be nice to him."

 _ **Edward**_

It had been hours since we had arrived. We went back and forth into the room, spending time with Bella. That included Renee. At the moment I was sitting in the waiting room with Charlie and Carlisle, the rest of the gang out to get something to eat while Renee and Esme talked to Bella in the room. I rubbed my hand over my face, feeling completely drained.

"You know," Charlie started, "you should eat something. It isn't good for you."

"I'd just throw it up." I shrugged as I leaned back in the uncomfortable hospital chair. "Besides, they've already given Bella the spinal block. It could happen at any time now. I don't want to miss anything."

My father rubbed my shoulder. "You're doing really well."

I laughed and sighed, "I'm not the one doing all the work."

"Bella's on painkillers at the moment. Trust me, you're a lot more stressed than she is right now," Charlie laughed just as Jasper and Emmett came in, both looking rather dazed.

"What's wrong?" I said, looking them both over. "Where are the girls?"

"They're looking at the babies," Emmett said in almost a whisper. "Rose wants to start trying to get pregnant as soon as we get married. I can't go through this, man. This is scary as hell."

Carlisle chuckled, "you know, there really isn't anything I would consider a _normal_ birth but it's not always like this, Emmett. Besides, children are a great blessing. You'll make a great father one day I'm sure. Just you wait and see, as soon as you hold that little bundle in your arms you'll fall in love and forget all your fears."

Emmett mulled over the words for a few seconds before nodding his head. Jasper still hadn't said anything. I kicked his foot, getting his attention. He lifted his head up.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I'm really going to be doing this in seven months, aren't I?" He asked. "Alice told me in the car. I'm glad I didn't have to keep it a secret."

I chuckled, "probably, yup. But, we'll be here with you, supporting you."

"Holy shit, I'm going to be a dad. I'm too stupid to be a dad," he said through his hands, taking a deep wild breath. I rolled my eyes.

"You're getting a master's right now, Jasper. If you're too stupid then I'm doomed. So, please. I'm the father to be with the wife in labor right now. Save your freakouts for later. It's not helping," I teased him. He gave me a little smile and nodded his head.

"I guess you're right. Sorry."

"It's okay. Hey, can you do me a favor? Can you get me some coffee or something from the cafeteria? I'm dying here," I asked as I began to pull money out of my pocket. I barely had my hand shoved into my jeans when my mother came running in, Renee following.

"They're about to come!" She shouted.

Just then I turned my head to the clicking noise coming down the hall. Rosalie and Alice were jogging towards us in their heels.

"It's time?" Rosalie checked to make sure she heard right. I nodded my head dumbly, not sure what to do.

"Edward, Bella wants you and Alice in there helping her. They've got scrubs for you to put on in the bathroom in the room. You better hurry. Those babies aren't going to wait for you," she said with a breathless laugh, giving me a big hug before shoving me off in the right direction.

Alice grabbed my hand, leading me back there. I felt like my legs were as stiff as boards and made from Jello all at the same time.

"Come on, Daddy. Time to get to work."

 _ **Bella**_

The contractions felt like they were seconds apart. They could have been for all I knew. I felt like the blood was just rushing past my ears. That's all I could hear. I panted and gritted my teeth, closing my eyes tightly.

"Bella, baby," I heard Alice's voice say from behind me. "How are you doing, sweetie?" She took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"This hurts like a motherfucker even with pain meds and the stupid blocker," I told her truthfully. Just then Edward appeared out of the bathroom in a pair of green scrubs. He looked so handsome. I smiled slightly, reaching out my hand for him. He walked forward quickly and took it, bringing it to his lips before kissing it lightly.

"You have such a foul mouth when you're in pain," he chuckled, stroking my hair.

"I'm going to get changed and we can get this show on the road," Alice said as she practically skipped to the bathroom. Nurses were scurrying around the room, getting stuff ready for the babies. The doctor was scrubbing up his hands before placing gloves on them.

"Is this really happening?" I whispered quietly.

"It is," he smiled, kissing my forehead.

"I think it's required of me to say at this point that you are not allowed to have sex with me ever again," I teased him breathlessly, cringing through another shot of pain.

"You say that now..." he teased right back, continuing his relaxing stroking of my hair. It was so nice. A few seconds later, Alice came out of the bathroom. She was looking rather funny in too big scrubs.

"That's the quickest I've ever seen you change," I smiled at her, my voice hoarse.

"Alright, Mrs. Cullen, I'm just going to test something real quick and then we're going to go ahead and start, okay?" The doctor started, taking a pen out of his pocket. He ran it up to my left side. "Tell me when you can feel it."

"Now," I said as it hit the center of my stomach. He did it on the right side. "Now," I said again.

"Great! The block is still in full effect. Now, we're going to put your legs in these stir-ups and when I tell you to, I want you to push. You two," he turned his attention to my helpers," you're going to help her raise up and hold her hands. If anything goes wrong, I'm going to have to tell you to leave, okay?"

"Yes, sir," Alice answered. Edward just nodded, his eyes staying on me.

"Okay. This won't take too long at all. Let's get the first baby out. Now, on the count of three, I want you to lift up and push." Edward took my left arm, holding my hand with one hand and my elbow with the other. Alice did the exact same thing. "One, two, three... PUSH!"

I lifted up and pushed with all my might, the pressure indescribable. I had never felt anything like that before.

"Good, now stop. I can see the crown. Another big push on three... One, two, three, Push!"

Once again, I did as I was told, the pressure even worse this time. I moaned, my head falling back slightly.

"You're doing great, love," Edward whispered encouragingly into my ear.

"You better be doing this for me in a few months," Alice teased as I laid back again against the raised up bed.

"Sure, sure," I muttered breathlessly. Sweat was sticking to my forehead. I felt drenched but cold.

"Alright, we've got shoulders! One more good push and we'll have this baby out. Are you ready to meet your children, Mrs. Cullen?"

"Yes," I said hoarsely.

"One more and then you get a little break," Edward said as he kissed my temple.

"Oh, yay, I get to do it again," I muttered with a raspy laugh.

"On three again... One, two, three... PUSH!"

I pushed with all my being this time, the pressure finally ending with a little cry. But the cry wasn't from me. It was from the child in the doctor's arms. It wasn't perfect pink and white. It was an angry red with matted dark hair and covered in what looked like cream cheese and strawberry jam.

"It's a girl!" Edward said excitedly. "I told you it would be girls! Ha!" He laughed joyously.

"Dad, do you want to cut the cord?" He looked at me and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Um," he said, looking over at the baby. We hadn't talked about this before.

"It's okay, honey. You don't have to do it if you don't want to. I know you're afraid of hurting her." I smiled weakly. I was just too tired and too happy to care.

"No, thank you," he said, relieved.

"Can I do it?" Alice asked. The doctor shrugged his shoulders and Alice came prancing over, still in her heels, and quickly cut the cord before they whisked the baby off to get cleaned and tested.

"You'll be able to hold her in just a few minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen," the doctor assured us. "We're just going to get reset, so to speak, and start over again." He went to take off his gloves but stopped as he looked at one of the monitors above my head. Just then a sharp pain twisted inside of my chest. The black screens went crazy. "GET HER TO THE OR, NOW!"

 **Last cliffhanger. Last chapter next. Then the epilogue!**

 **Reviews = motivation.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	39. Chapter 39

_**Edward**_

They shoved us out of that room so fast that I felt my head spin. I stood outside the door to the side, trying to get one of the nurse's attention. Alice clutched onto my arm, scared out of her mind. Just like I was.

"What's going on?" I said, grabbing a young woman by the arm. I dropped my hand quickly when I saw her angry expression. "Sorry, I just need to know what's going on with my wife."

"Her blood pressure has spiked and the baby is in distress. They're losing its heartbeat. We're taking her to the OR for an emergency c section."

"Will they be alright?" I asked almost frantically.

"Sir, can I have you please wait in the lobby area? Someone will come out to talk to you in a moment," she said, brushing me off. That gave me all the answer that I needed. She didn't know. That didn't make me feel better at all. I felt my insides twist and like I was going to be sick.

A moment after the nurse left to go back inside, Bella's bed came rolling out. "Bella," I called to her but she couldn't say anything in return because there was a breathing mask over his nose. She gave me a small smile and a weak wave. "I love you!" I said just before she went inside. All she could do was nod slowly in return.

"Shit," I said as I walked into the lobby. I didn't even make it to a chair. I just sat down in front of my mother.

"What's wrong?" Charlie and Renee asked fanatically. I was glad Alice was there to speak for me. I was already on the verge of tears. I think if I had to speak my fears out loud I would have.

"Her blood pressure went up and they couldn't find the other baby's heartbeat after she had the first one..." Alice said, going to sit beside her husband. He took her onto his lap, holding her close to him as he nuzzled her neck.

"Is the first one okay?" Renee asked, genuinely worried. I nodded my head.

"It's a girl," I whispered. "I haven't been able to hold her or anything."

"Did she cry when she was born?" My dad asked, always the doctor. I nodded my head again. "That's a good sign. That means her lungs are working pretty well. Don't worry, son. This won't take very long. I bet the other girl is out now and they've already starting to sew Bella back up."

"Mr. Cullen?" A tall thin nurse in baby-themed scrubs asked as she came out of the double doors that led to the labor unit. I popped up, walking to meet her. "Hi, I'm Valerie, one of your wife's nurses."

"How is she doing? How are the babies?" I asked, balling my fists up at my side to resist the urge to shake her. I needed the information. She didn't know how desperately I needed it. I was about to lose my mind.

"The first girl is doing good. She has fantastic lung function. She's six pounds five ounces and she's just over nineteen inches long. She seems to be doing really well and she'll be going to the regular nursery shortly if you want to go see her."

"And the second?"

She licked her lips before she explained, "the baby had its cord wrapped around its neck, briefly cutting off oxygen. They got the baby out quickly and it should be fine. But, just to be safe, she's going to spend the night in the NICU to make sure there was no damage done. She's also nineteen inches and she's six pounds seven ounces. Congratulations, Mr. Cullen." She gave me a small smile.

"How's Bella doing?" Charlie asked as I continued to process what she had just said. My brain seemed to work slower than normal for some reason.

"She's still in the OR. They're just stapling her back up. I'll have someone come out and let you know when she goes back into her room for recovery. She'll be there for two hours and then we'll move her into a private room."

"Thank you," my mother called as she came to touch my shoulder. I turned to her and hugged her tightly. She said the words that were running through my brain, "thank God they're alright."

 _ **Bella**_

Everything happened so fast around me. They gave me another shot of painkiller into my IV, something stronger this time and I started going in and out of reality. It wasn't until I got back into the room that I became somewhat there again. A nurse came around and began to fiddle with my IV, checking the numbers on something.

"Where's my husband?" I asked, my throat feeling rather thick like there was goop inside of it.

"I believe he's outside," she said with a sweet smile. "Do you want me to go get him for you?"

"Yes, please." I nodded my head, it felt rather disconnected from my body. It felt like at any moment it was going to pop off and float away. I was not sure it would be a bad thing. It probably would have felt better unattached to the rest of me. It already felt like my thoughts were floating away anyway.

One moment I was half asleep, the next I felt a pair of warm lips pressed to my forehead. I would have known those lips anywhere. "Edward," I breathed out, unable to open my eyes. I felt so sleepy.

"Hey, love. How are you feeling?" He asked, running his fingers through my knotted hair.

"Like a balloon," I told him honestly. Soft laughter fell from his lips, greeting me in such a wonderful way. I felt warm all over, though it might have been the medication they were pumping into my IV. "What's that?" I asked the nurse beside us.

"More pain medication. We're about to move you to your room," she informed me. Had it been two hours already?

"Why did it take you so long to get in here?" I asked with concern. I wasn't mad, just surprised.

"We've been coming in and out of the room the entire time. You've been asleep. You've had a busy day, my darling," he explained to me lightly.

"How are the babies?" I asked, fear creeping into my mind for the first time but it was hard to hold onto it. I felt myself slipping away again. It was too much warmth and it was far too inviting. "Are they okay?" I asked as my eyes slid closed again. I heard him answer right before I fell into darkness once more.

"They're more than okay. They're _beautiful_."

 _ **Edward**_

After I got Bella settled into a room, I went to go get everyone to let them know how she was doing and where she was at. I was surprised to see her soon to be ex-stepfather standing there, talking to Renee. He turned when he heard footsteps, giving me a small smile.

"Hey, congrats," he said as he shook my hand.

"Thanks a lot. Not to be rude, but what are you doing here?"

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at my mother in law sheepishly. "I came to try to stop Renee from doing something crazy. I was a bit too late though, I see. But, apparently, she's behaving herself somewhat right now."

"I'm not a child," she mumbled to herself angrily. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. "Okay, most the time. I've been good and I'm going to get better."

"I'm hoping that's true. Well, I'm not going to stick around long but would you mind if I come by tomorrow and check out the babies and say hello to Bella before I go back to Florida?" Phil said with a slight smile on his face. He seemed happier than he did the last time I saw him.

"Sure thing. I bet she would love that."

"Alright, see you then. Renee, do you need a ride to your hotel?" He offered kindly. She looked at me, worried.

"She's out for the night, I'm pretty sure. Why don't you go get some rest and come back in the morning?" I offered, not just to her but to everyone. Jasper nodded his head and picked up a sleeping Alice in his arms.

"I think that's a great idea. Congratulations, man. We'll see you in the morning."

Rosalie poked Emmett, who was also asleep. "Come on, big guy. Let's get you to bed."

"Mm, bed," he mumbled stupidly as he leaned against her. "See you tomorrow. Give us a shout if you need anything. Day or night, okay?"

"Thanks a lot," I said with as much energy as I could muster. "Y'all drive safe."

"We will," they called in turn. All that was left now was my parents. I could already tell by the look on my mother's face that she wasn't going anywhere without a fight.

"Mom, Dad," I started, thinking of what I wanted to say carefully. I don't want to offend them. Then the perfect excuse popped into my head. "Would you mind going to check out the nursery and making sure it's ready for the girls? I don't want to have to go anywhere for a couple of days once they get home. I want them to be well stocked."

"That's a good idea," my mom said as she gave me a big hug, pressing her lips to my cheek softly before running her fingers through my hair. "My baby is a daddy," she started to whimper. My dad instantly grabbed her forearms and gave me a rueful smile. We both knew what was coming. No one needed more tears.

"Come on, darling. Let's go check on the nursery. Call us if you need anything. We'll be back in the morning."

"Thanks, Dad," I called as they went down the hall, my mom leaning against my father for support. She had a rough emotional day. She wasn't the only one. I think everyone did.

I walked by the nursery one last time, smiling at my beautiful baby girl before I went into the room. I wouldn't be able to go into the NICU until later that night but I didn't want to leave Bella's side. I came to her bed and took her hand, kissing it lightly. She didn't even move.

 _ **Bella**_

I wasn't sure what time in the morning it was when I woke up. I couldn't find a clock but that was okay. I didn't really care. I smiled as I saw Edward sitting there. He was awake, somehow, a huge smile on his face.

"How are you?" I asked roughly. I felt like I needed to cough but I knew it would hurt too much.

"Mm, when I find out, I'll let you know," he teased me, taking my hand in his own. "Do you want me to call the nurse? She can bring you more pain meds if you need them?"

"No, I'm alright for now. Do you know if I can see the girls?" I asked hopefully.

He sighed heavily, not a good sign. "Girl number one you can. She's in the nursery. Girl number two is in the NICU. Tomorrow when you feel strong enough we can go up there or hopefully she'll be able to come down."

Well, that wasn't as bad as I feared, that was for sure.

"Can I see girl number one?" I used his words with a little smile.

Edward nodded his head and quickly walked out of the room, I was assuming to go get the nurse. It wasn't three minutes later that Edward was coming in with a rolling clear plastic tub of a bed and a nurse following behind.

"Hey, mommy. I'm awake!" Edward said in the best baby voice. I laughed, a cough ripping through my system afterward. It hurt like hell. I grimaced, closing my eyes tightly.

"Next time you cough, put a pillow over your stitches. It'll help. I'm going to get you some more pain medication in just a little bit, okay sweetie?" The nurse said kindly. I nodded my head, trying to think only about the beautiful baby now in Edward's arms.

"Well, unless you want to call them one and two the rest of their lives, we'll need to come up with some names soon," she said, coming to stand beside me. The nurse put a pillow in my lap to help me support the baby.

I hummed in thought, trying to come up with anything but nothing seemed right still. I hated that. I hated that they weren't going to have names right away. But none of that mattered as Edward placed the sweet baby in my arms.

"Oh, hello there!" I cooed, running my fingers over her very thick very curly deep brown hair. She looked up at me with wide green eyes, her pretty pink lips pursed like she was thinking very seriously about the world.

"Tell mommy you just had dinner," the nurse said, touching the baby's little fist. "I'll probably be asleep soon."

"Let me tell you a secret," I said playfully to the bundle. "So will I." Sighing in contentment, I turned my head towards my husband. "Edward, does the other one...?" He knew my question.

"They're identical. I got to see the second briefly. They're just watching her for right now. She doesn't have any tubes or anything like the others. She's doing really well," he explained.

I felt my arms get heavy and I sighed, "Edward..."

Without me having to say another word Edward knew exactly what I needed. He took the baby from my arms and gave both of us a light kiss. A second later the nurse injected something into my IV. I just saw them roll the baby out of the room before my lights went out again.

 _ **Edward**_

I fell asleep sometime during the night, thankfully. I don't think I could have made it through the next day without any sleep. I woke up around seven as the nurse came into check on Bella with a tray of liquids for her to eat. I was pretty sure she would want something. She hadn't eaten much in a couple of days. I sat back in wonderment as I watched my sleeping wife.

So, if you told me two years before I would be a married man who could see and a father, I would have told you that you needed medication. My life had been a rollercoaster since the day I met Bella. She has changed my life in so many wonderful ways. I didn't even know how to describe it fully. She's was my lover, my best friend, my wife, my teacher and so many other things. Bella was my universe.

A few moments later, the nurse came in and whispered something very happy in my ear. I nodded gratefully, really excited. I went to Bella and rubbed her shoulder carefully.

"Bella, honey, you want to meet our other daughter?"

My wife woke up with a little start, surprised at my voice. It took her a minute to realize that I had asked her a question. She nodded her head.

"She's out of the NICU?"

"Sure is and they're bringing her down right now. They can bring her straight here if you want them to." Bella nodded her head again at my words, raising up her bed so she could hold the baby when they got here. I went into the hall and told the nurse that we would like to see her right away.

Bella began to cry as they rolled the baby into the room, gentle sobs of happiness leaving her mouth. She bit her bottom lip and I felt the tears begin to prickle my own eyes. I swallowed hard, looking her over.

"Are you ready?"

"You hold her first. You deserve it."

"Bella-" I began, but she cut me off with a wave her hand.

"I want you to," she said sweetly. I nodded my head and took the baby carefully out of the bed, sitting down in my chair. I rocked her back and forth carefully, looking over at my wife. She was beautiful, even if she was still a little red-faced. I couldn't imagine my life without her. She told me once that she wouldn't be my reason or my excuse. I couldn't be more grateful for that. She was my everything else.

"Hi there, lovely little one," I cooed at the tiny bundle in my arms. Bella's brown hair and my green eyes, just like her beautiful sister. Full beautiful lips and chubby little cheeks, just like her mom. My chin and nose I saw the best of both of us in the pink swaddling cloth.

The baby stretched, it's tiny nose scrunching as she yawned. I had never seen a cuter thing in my life. Getting up slowly, I sat beside my wife on the hospital bed and laid my head on her shoulder.

"Hi there, Daddy," she said sleepily. She worked so hard the past few days, she must have been so tired still. I was tired and I didn't do nearly as much work as her.

"Hey, Mommy. How are we feeling?" I asked, bouncing the tiny bundle in my arms.

"Sore," she admitted. I couldn't blame her a bit.

I turned to look at her. I carefully shifted and smoothed a piece of hair behind her ear, leaning over to lightly kiss her cheek. She smiled up at me, her beautiful brown eyes sparkling with unshed tears. I tried to smile reassuringly before leaning over to kiss her forehead once again.

The door cracked open slightly and I saw my father's head pop in. It took them longer to return than I thought. I was almost positive they would have been at the hospital at six in the morning. I was glad for it though.

"May we come in?"

"Of course you can, Grandpa," Bella teased weakly with a smile. I could already tell that we weren't going to have company for very long. She was too tired.

I watched as our parents filed in. Renee, who usually had a hard expression, was beaming. She tugged Charlie and Phil behind her like she was an eager child. She came over to me, smiling a bit sheepishly when she caught my eyes.

"May I?" She asked, her hands outstretched. I looked over at Bella who nodded her head.

I didn't answer as I carefully slid the bundle into her arms. She cooed and bounced the baby happily. As soon as Renee was out of the way, my mother hugged me tightly.

"I told you that you two would make pretty babies," she teased tearfully.

 _ **Bella**_

Even though my stitches, or whatever they were, pulled and my whole body ached I couldn't have been happier. Watching Edward with our child was so... _amazing_. His eyes glittered with joy, his smile so gentle and warm as he walked around slowly. A little small, but otherwise perfect, the doctor said to him.

It was so nice to be around my family and I was so glad that they were already down for the graduation, even if I was still mad at Renee. I don't think Edward could have handled all the stress of my labor along with the stress of calling our families and explaining what happened. Just going through labor was hard enough. A little early on graduation day and an emergency c-section was a bit much. It was going to be a wild story to tell the girls when they got older. But, it was fine and that's all that mattered

I yawned quietly as I watched my mother with her new grandchild. I think if anything could melt her ice wall or help her find a way to fix her craziness it would be the child in her arms. She even smiled at Edward and was polite. Tiny steps but steps nonetheless. I would take anything.

"Okay grandparents, it's time to let Mommy get back to bed. It's been an extremely long week," Edward said quietly as he took the tiny sleeping baby and placed it in one of those plastic bassinets.

Charlie came over first and gave me a small kiss on the top of my head. I was so glad none of them argued. I was so tired.

"You did good, kid."

"Thanks," I mumbled with a small smile. I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open. I wondered if the nurse had already given me more drugs and I missed it or if I was just that tired.

"Sleep well and we'll be back later in the morning, dear," Esme said with a gentle hug that I weakly returned.

"Call us if you need anything, do you understand me?" Carlisle said firmly before giving me a crooked grin that could rival his son's. "We're going to get some pink stuff for those girls."

"Yes sir, Dr. Cullen," I teased.

When they finally all left, after too many hugs and kisses, Edward settled back into bed with me. I laid my head on his chest, trying to get at least a little comfortable. I was finding it all but impossible.

"Can you believe the day we had?" I asked playfully.

"Can you believe the last two years we've had?" He chuckled and kissed my neck lightly.

"No, they've flown by," I said as I ran my finger over his wedding band. "By the way, I'm never letting you have sex with me again," I teased again. "Seriously. I mean it this time. That was horrible."

"Oh, really?" He raised his eyebrow and gave me a little grin. "You say that now..." Edward used his favorite line.

"Okay, maybe not _ever_ but I don't see you getting any in the near future." I laughed, laying my head against the pillow. "As cute as they are, babies are an amazing form of birth control."

"Hm, I have a strong feeling that I'm still going to find time to show you how much I love and worship you." He took my hand and carefully turned my palm up. He kissed it lightly, sending a wave of happiness through my already overloaded system.

The tears began to flow heavily down my cheeks, surprising even me. I had no idea where they came from.

"I'm a mommy," I cried.

He laughed and I was annoyed until I realized he was crying, too. He took my face in his large warm hands and kissed my lips passionately, our tears mixing together on our cheeks.

"I hope you didn't just now realize that. You're the most beautiful mommy I've ever seen, by the way."

"You're only a little biased." I sighed happily.

"I'm not biased at all. I just cherish natural beauty when I see it. And right now, I'm surrounded by it."

 _ **The End!**_

 **So, that's it. They have gone full circle. It began in the hospital and it ended at the same one. There will be a little epilogue.**

 **If you enjoyed, don't forget to alert and fave for more of my stuff. You can follow me on Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	40. Chapter 40

_**Edward**_

I tried uselessly to adjust my tie. It was doing me no damn good. I hated these stupid things. I looked in the mirror. I felt stupid the last times I had worn a gown and that hadn't changed.

"Daddy," Charlie started in a sweet little voice. She was already wearing a pretty white dress, her curly hair done up in a bow. Charlotte had always been the girly one of the two. She wanted to be a princess while her sister, on the other hand, thought she was part cat and was always climbing off the walls. Literally. She had more energy than I ever had as a child.

"Yes, pumpkin?" I asked through gritted teeth as I yanked out the tie. I would have to find Bella to do it in a little while. I was getting sick and tired of the damn thing. It wasn't working.

I was too stressed. I needed to calm down but I was worried. I remembered the last time everyone came down like this. I didn't want a repeat. That had been four years before and the memory still made me need a drink.

"Why are you wearing a dress?" She asked, pulling at the ends of my black gown. I laughed, feeling some of my tension melting away.

Running my hands over my face before I looked down at her with a smile. I answered her question, "because Daddy is graduating today. It's not a dress. It's a graduation gown. You'll wear one of these one things one day too."

"I think they're kind of ugly," Carrie piped in from the bed, laying on her stomach. "Will I have to wear one?"

"Yes, you will. A couple of times at least." I turned to her and winked. "Don't worry, I think they're ugly too."

She giggled, hopping down from the bed. She had picked out her own outfit, always so headstrong. She might have had a bit of a slower start but she made up for that quickly in personality. She was wearing a dark black dress with a bright red ribbon, her short curly hair pinned to her head. She had taken scissors to it right after Christmas and we had to get it all trimmed back so it wasn't so... _odd_ looking. There was no other way to describe it.

Renee tried to tell me it was just what four-year-olds did. But, that didn't mean I had to like it. Though, I had to admit it was easier to tell them apart now that one of them had short hair.

"I think you look quite handsome," my very beautiful and once again very pregnant wife said as came into the room with her makeup done and her hair put up. She looked so stunning in black.

Bella was eight and a half months pregnant with our third child. A little boy. I leaned over and kissed the top of her round stomach, my hands on either side.

"You better stay in there until at least tomorrow, young man."

"Please." Bella rolled her eyes, "I'm just fine. There will be no surprises today. Right? There aren't any surprises?"

"None that I know of. I'm not that stupid to surprise you when you're this pregnant." I smiled as I handed her my tie. Bella giggled and came over to me, lightly kissing my lips before bringing the fabric around my neck. "I love you," I whispered so the girls wouldn't hear. They always teased us when we kissed or were _lovey_ as they put it.

"I love you, too."

 _ **Bella**_

I watched with pride with my children by my side as Edward walked across the stage to get his Master's in music. He was going to start teaching, along with getting his doctorate in Education, at the beginning of the next fall. He decided to take the summer off so we would be together as a family when our little son, who was still yet to be named, came.

This pregnancy wasn't exactly planned, but unlike before I wasn't freaking out. Though I had to admit I liked how he came about. Less angst, more wild tryst.

Esme and Carlisle had the girls in Chicago for a couple of weeks. It had been the longest I had been apart from them since I started the stupid book tour. My silly little novel had done far better than I ever imagined. It was now a top ten bestseller and I was in demand. It was just some teen vampire book and I never expected a reaction like it. It was all overwhelming. They were even talking about movies and I was now working on the third in the trilogy. I was glad that I didn't have to worry about my own money anymore. I had more than enough and I saved it all to hopefully give to the girls one day. But having my own money meant I got spoil Edward as well.

Edward had flown from Chicago once he got the girls settled to New York to spend some time with me. I had a couple of interviews the next day and I was nervous as could be. He took me dinner and dancing, and then to a bar and he helped me forget everything. Over and over and over again.

I think we had sex, fucked, and made love on every surface of that hotel room. We did that for the next two weeks solid. Multiple times a day. It had been a while since we had real alone time and we were going to use it, dammit. Well, a month and a half later I found out I was pregnant and I found out something else. I wasn't worried about it. I was actually excited _._

I heard Emmett and Rose's son squeal loudly when everyone started clapping, thinking just like every nine-month-old that they were clapping for him. Alice and Jasper's just turned four-year-old daughter, Dylan, was dead asleep on Jasper's shoulder. She had inherited her daddy's calmness and could sleep through just about anything. Alice was pregnant as well too, but she was only six months. The boys complained that we tried to time it together or something so she could have the hand me downs. In all truth, Alice did enough clothes shopping that she would never need clothes from anyone else ever again.

"Oh, look at your daddy!" Carlisle beamed as he bounced Carrie, his namesake in his arms. "He's going to be a teacher soon. What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"A tiger!" She laughed, teasing him.

"Well," he pursed his lips like he was thinking, "I think you can be anything you want to be. So, are you going to be a white tiger or an orange one?"

"A pink one!"

They continued on their conversation, Charlie at my side. I groaned softly, putting my hand on my back. It was starting to ache from standing up so much. "Mommy, are you okay?" She asked, tugging at the end of my black dress.

"Yeah, I'm fine, sweetie. Mommy's just a little tired. It's been a long day and your brother is taking it out of me."

"You better be good in there," she said, speaking to my stomach. Edward had gotten them into the habit. At this rate, he probably knew their voices better than my own. It wasn't that bad of a thought really.

"Bella, you okay?" My mom whispered from above me. I nodded my head, placing my hands on my back.

"Yeah, I'll be okay, Mom. Just tired."

Our relationship wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst. She and Phil were back together, but only on the condition that she stayed on her medication. She did. We started spending more time together, but I was still cautious. I think that was a habit that would die hard. She understood why though. She tried to reassure me at every pass and even tried to get along with Edward most the time.

"I'm just ready for this day to be over," I said as I leaned my head against my dad's shoulder.

After the ceremony, we went to eat at Edward's favorite Japanese place. I pouted because Edward refused to let me have any real sushi. I was stuck with California rolls. The doctor didn't want me to eat raw fish. After that, we all went to the Boardwalk and saw some silly kids movie which made every child very happy, including Emmett. I think it might have involved a monkey, but I'm not sure because I may have fallen asleep during it.

I had just gotten the girls down to sleep and went into our bedroom, Edward sitting at the end of the bed with his tie loosened around his neck and the top button undone. He looked completely sexy and I wanted him. I came over to him slowly, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck.

"Mm, hello there Professor Cullen."

He groaned in pleasure as my lips traveled up the side of his neck, nipping at it playfully. "You are going to do very bad things to me tonight, aren't you?" My sex drive the entire pregnancy was in overdrive. It was probably the most sex we had during any period in our marriage. My husband was loving it.

"Oh yes, I'm going to-" And then I felt something hot and wet slide down my legs. " _Oh!_ "

"What is it?" Edward asked, looking me over. The room was only lit with one lamp so it was no wonder that he couldn't tell what had just happened.

I looked down at my legs, looking back up at him slowly then laughed.

"My water just broke."

 _ **AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER! The End.**_

 **If you liked and enjoyed this story fave and put me on alerts for more. You can follow me on Facebook- Jeska Elizabeth.**

 **Thank you to everyone who took the time to say something kind about this story. You are truly lovely.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


End file.
